Geology of Malawi

Geology of Malawi

The greater part of Malawi is underlain by cristaline rocks of Precambrian to lower Paleozoic age which are referred to the Malawi Basement Complex.
At various localities in the north and south of the country these rocks are overlain uncomformably by sedimentar and subordinate volcanic rocks which range in age from Permo-Triassic to Quaternary. Intrusive rocks of upper Jurassic to lower Cretaceous age, assigned to the Chilwa Alkaline Province, occur widely throughout Southern Malawi and form a distinctive feature of the local geology. Large tracts of the Lake Malawi litoral, the Shire valley and the Lilongwe, Kasungu and Mzimba plains are covered by various superficial deposits.
The basement complex has undergone a prolongued structural and metamorphic history. The post-basement complex development of the country was dominated by epiorogenic movements, faulting and the formation of the Malawi Rift Valley.