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Malawi historical flags

History
Nyasaland 1914-1953 flag
Nyasaland Governor's flag
Governor-General's flag (1964-1966)

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History

The territory was defined as British Central Africa in 1890. When the first explorers arrived in what is now Malawi, they were told by the local inhabitants that the big lake was called 'Nyasa'. So the lake was christened Lake Nyasa - which it will not surprise you to learn means 'Lake Lake'. 'Malawi', incidentally, means 'flaming waters' - an allusion to the reflections of the setting sun on Lake Nyasa. (Ironically, it is only possible to observe this phenomenon to best advantage from the Mozambique bank of the lake.) This symbolism also appears on the Malawian flag, which features a red sun.
Stuart Notholt, 22 Nov 1995

A British Protectorate was declared over the 'Nyasaland Districts' (i.e. present day Malawi) on 15 May 1891. In 1893 the territory was renamed the British Central Africa Protectorate. By the Nyasaland Order in Council, dated 6 July 1907, the name of the territory was changed again, this time to the Nyasaland Protectorate and Legislative and Executive Councils were established and a Governor was appointed in the place of the former Commissioner. The first Legislative Council met on 4 September 1907.

The possibility of associating Nyasaland with one or more of its neighbours had been considered at various times between the two World Wars. On 7 September 1953 the Federation of Rhodesia and Ny