Mangochi, town, south-central Malawi, on the Shire River below its efflux from Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and 5 miles (8 km) south of its entrance into Lake Malombe. The town began as a British colonial defense post founded by the colonial administrator Sir Harry Johnston in the 1890s on the littoral plain of the river’s western shore. It developed as an agricultural centre and has marine-engineering shops. Local cash crops include tobacco, cotton, and peanuts (groundnuts). Rice and corn (maize) are intensively grown along the lakeshore, and commercial fishing is important. The surrounding region is mainly inhabited by the Yao people. Many hotels and cottages line the scenic bays of the lakeshore to serve local and international tourists attracted to the area. Located nearby are Lake Malawi National Park, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980, and Monkey Bay, a main port and dry dock of the country’s lake transport system. Pop. (2008) 39,369.