Mzuzu

The name comes from a mispronunciation of the word 'Vizuzu' by the white settlers. Vizuzu are plants that grow along the Lunyangwa River. These plants were spotted near the present Mzuzu Government Secondary School, also known as Area 1A where the tung planters settled. The city was developed around the Commonwealth Development Corporation's Tung Oil Estate in 1947 and received city status in 1985.

The climate is a subtropical highland climate (Cwb), with ample rainfall throughout the year as well as cool and pleasant temperatures.

The culture of the city is an amalgam of other cultures of the northern region. Tumbuka is widely spoken in Mzuzu but other languages such as Chewa, Tonga, Swahili, Ngonde are also spoken. Mzuzu is also home to a museum, opened in 1986, showcasing artifacts from various cultures in the northern region. Popular foods include sima (either made from maize, locally called sima ya ngoma, or made from cassava, locally called sima ya mayagho), rice, locally called mpunga, and batala fish (a bottle-nosed mormyrid, Mormyrus longirostris). Batala comes from the nearby Lake Malawi waters in Nkhata Bay. Other common foods include: maize, bananas, plantains, cocoa, cassava and sweet potatoes.

The commercial hub of the region has coffee, timber, fruit, milk and honey production. Manufacturing includes medication, cosmetics and timber. Through Mzuzu University, the city has a skilled labor force. Mzuzu has arable land but is still developing its electricity industry towards a sufficient and reliable state. A 2022 case study on Mzuzu funded by the European Union outlined areas of strength and possibilities for economic growth. Small businesses provide telecommunication services, internet cafes, and multipurpose stores. National chains include Chipiku, Peoples Trading, and A.C Opticals. The city is the home base of national companies Mzuzu Coffee, Kentam Products Limited, Mzupaso Paints Limited and Northern Life magazine. Mzuzu has two major markets, including Taifa Market, which sells fruits, clothes, cellphones, shoes and other products.

Lake Malawi, Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve, and Nyika National Park—Malawi's largest national park—are all located near Mzuzu. Mzuzu Botanic Gardens is located in Zolozolo. The Mzuzu Nature Sanctuary, Mzuzu Wildlife Conservation Park, and the Kaning'ina Forest Reserve are located in the Kaning'ina Mountains. These are good locations for hiking and viewing wildlife. Gulliver Dam, which supplies water to Mzuzu City and the surrounding areas, offers hiking as well. The 1st Poulner Scout Group (UK) maintains a campground just outside of Mzuzu called the Kavuzi Campsite.

Mzuzu City is served by the Mzuzu Airport. In June 2015, Malawi Ministry of Public Works and Transport announced plans to develop a new airport, but a 2022 update suggested that building has not yet begun. Mzuzu is on Malawi's M1 highway, which runs the length of the country from north to south. It is the northern terminus of the M5 highway, which runs eastwards through a gap in the Viphya Mountains towards Nkhata Bay, and then south along the shore of Lake Malawi.