{{Short description|Town in Northern Malawi}} {{coord|11|01|S|33|52|E|region:MW_type:city|display=title}} {{Infobox settlement <!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage--> <!-- Basic info ----------------> |official_name = Rumphi |other_name = |native_name = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English --> |nickname = |settlement_type = <!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City)--> |motto = <!-- images and maps -----------> |image_skyline = MalawiRumphiMarket.png |imagesize = |image_caption = Rumphi City Market |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |subdivision_name = {{flag|Malawi}} |subdivision_type1 = Region |subdivision_name1 = Northern Region |subdivision_type2 = District |subdivision_name2 = Rumphi District |subdivision_type3 = <!-- Politics -----------------> |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |leader_title1 = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager --> |leader_name1 = |leader_title2 = |footnotes = }}
'''Rumphi''' is the capital of the Rumphi District (Rumphi Boma) in the Northern Region of Malawi. It is a market town which serves the widespread farming community.
==Description==
Rumphi is on the way to Nyika National Park, Nyika Plateau, and Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve. Unlike its larger neighbour, Mzuzu, which has mild sunny weather almost all year, Rumphi has a differing climate. The town, being surrounded by hills, always has a nice wind. The town is bounded by the Rumphi river in the east and the South Rukuru River in the south.
Rumphi has a cattle market every Saturday morning at 6:00 a.m. where farmers and dealers are coming to sell and buy cattle. It is the biggest cattle market between Lilongwe, Karonga, and Mzimba. Along the road to Bolero, opposite the FDH Bank is Roscher Youth Development Centre.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home - Roscher Youth Development Centre |url=http://roscheryouthdevelopment.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241010223212/https://roscheryouthdevelopment.org/ |archive-date=2024-10-10 |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=Roscher Youth Development Centre |language=en-GB}}</ref> On the centre's plot, to the south of the Rukuru River, the Support Malawi e.V. foundation initiated the first Earthbag House Lodge in Rumphi. It was built by the youth with walls of stacked sand bags. An Earthbag Restaurant became attractive for visitors as well as residents of the lodges.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}
The St Patrick's Minor Seminary is in Rumphi. In 2018 the seminary was mentioned in the UK parliament. The seminary had a partnership with St Benedict's High School in Scotland and three days before a planned visit they were told that their applications for visas were rejected. The visas were restored after the Scotland Malawi Partnership contacted members of parliament. The recovery was impressive, but the responsible department did not want to discuss how it could have been avoided.<ref name=rumphi>{{Cite web |title=School visit rescued after last-minute visa issue |url=https://www.scotland-malawipartnership.org/news/school-visit-rescued-after-last-minute-visa-issue |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=www.scotland-malawipartnership.org |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Around Rumphi are tobacco fields and fields of maize, groundnuts, cassava and potatoes.
==Government== Rumphi Central constituency is the lead constituency. In 2025 Enock Chakufwa Chihana was elected but he was promoted to second vice President. In the bi-election that followed Dr. Mathews Mtumbuka of the United Transformation Movement was elected.<ref>{{Cite web |last=NyasaAuthor1 |date=2026-03-18 |title=Analysis: How Dr. Mathews Mtumbuka Captured Rumphi Central While the Blue Alliance Exposed Its Fault Lines - Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi |url=https://www.nyasatimes.com/analysis-how-dr-mathews-mtumbuka-captured-rumphi-central-while-the-blue-alliance-exposed-its-fault-lines/ |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=www.nyasatimes.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==Demographics== {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Population<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927223224/http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&dat=32&srt=pnan&col=dq&geo=-150 World Gazetteer: Malawi: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population]</ref><ref name="Census2018">{{cite web|url=http://www.nsomalawi.mw/images/stories/data_on_line/demography/census_2018/2018%20Malawi%20Population%20and%20Housing%20Census%20Main%20Report.pdf|title=2018 Population and Housing Census Main Report |publisher=Malawi National Statistical Office |accessdate=25 December 2019}}</ref> |- | 1977 | 3,998 |- | 1987 | 7,156 |- | 1998 | 14,069 |- | 2008 | 17,845 |- | 2018 | 22,358 |}
==Gallery== <gallery mode="packed"> file:Pupils and teachers from St Patrick's Minor Seminary in Rumphi.jpg|Pupils and teachers from St Patrick's Minor Seminary File:P1120150b.jpg|alt=Weekly cattle market in Rumphi|Weekly cattle market in Rumphi File:EarthbagHouseRumphi.jpg|First earthbag house in Rumphi district at Roscher Youth Development Centre </gallery>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rumphi}} Category:Populated places in the Northern Region, Malawi