Nyasaland
/ˌnaɪ.əˈsæl.ənd/noun
Nyasaland was the former British name for the territory that became the independent country of Malawi in 1964.
Did you know?The name centered on Lake Nyasa, now commonly called Lake Malawi, whose colonial naming history reflects competing British, Portuguese, and local geographical traditions.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Yao
nyasa
“Lake; a term associated with the great lake later known in English as Lake Nyasa.”
19th Century
English
Lake Nyasa
“The English geographical name popularized by European explorers, especially in descriptions of the large lake in southeastern Africa.”
Late 19th Century
English
Nyasaland
“A European geographical formation meaning “land of Nyasa,” referring to the territory surrounding the lake.”
1907
English
Nyasaland Protectorate
“The official British colonial name adopted for the protectorate in southeastern Africa.”
1953
English
Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
“The territory became part of the Central African Federation with Southern Rhodesia and Northern Rhodesia.”
1964
English
Malawi
“Upon independence, the country adopted the name Malawi, replacing Nyasaland.”
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