The city of Blantyre is one of Malawi’s few large urban centers. It is the country’s judicial capital, where Malawi’s highest courts meet. (Lilongwe is the national administrative and legislative capital.)
Blantyre is situated at 3,409 feet (1,039 meters) above sea level. This elevation moderates the tropical climate. The city has a rainy season (December to March), a cool season (April to August), and a hot season (September to November).
The city has two cathedrals and the polytechnic and medical campuses of the University of Malawi. Blantyre is Malawi’s chief commercial and industrial center. Light industries include shoe manufacturing, corn (maize) milling, brewing, soft-drink production, baking, printing, and tobacco manufacturing. Blantyre acts as the regional shopping and administrative center. The section of the city known as Limbe is the regional hub for wholesale commerce and is the headquarters of Malawi’s tobacco auctions.
Blantyre was founded in 1876 as a Church of Scotland mission station. It was named after explorer David Livingstone’s birthplace in Scotland. In 1878 Blantyre became the base of the African Lakes Company, a Scottish firm. This laid the foundation for the city’s later importance as a major commercial and distribution center. By World War I, Blantyre’s population included significant numbers of Africans from neighboring districts and South Asian traders, adding to the town’s vibrancy.
In 1956 Blantyre was united with Limbe, a town 7 miles (11 kilometers) to the east that had been founded in 1909. Limbe had grown around the headquarters of the Malawi (then Nyasaland) Railways. Today, the united city is sometimes called Blantyre/Limbe. Population (2018), 800,264.