British Central Africa Protectorate

British Central Africa Protectorate
1893–1907
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Light in Darkness
Anthem: God Save the Queen/King
Map of southern Africa, 1897. The British Central Africa Protectorate is shaded dark pink.
Status	Protectorate of British Empire
Capital	Zomba
Common languages	English (official) Chewa, Yao, Tumbuka
Religion	Christianity, Islam, Bantu mythology, Tumbuka religion
Government	Constitutional monarchy
Monarch
• 1893-1901	Victoria
• 1901-1907	Edward VII
Commissioner
• 1893-1896 (first)	Harry Johnston
• 1907 (last)	Francis Barrow Pearce
History
• Established	1893
• Changed to Nyasaland Protectorate	6 July 1907
Area
1904[1]	109,342 km2 (42,217 sq mi)
Currency	Rhodesian pound
Preceded by Succeeded by Maravi Nyasaland

The British Central Africa Protectorate (BCA) was a British protectorate proclaimed in 1889 and ratified in 1891 that occupied the same area as present-day Malawi: it was renamed Nyasaland in 1907. British interest in the area arose from visits made by David Livingstone from 1858 onward during his exploration of the Zambezi area. This encouraged missionary activity that started in the 1860s, undertaken by the Universities' Mission to Central Africa, the Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland, and which was followed by a small number of settlers. The Portuguese government attempted to claim much of the area in which the missionaries and settlers operated, but this was disputed by the British government. To forestall a Portuguese expedition claiming effective occupation, a protectorate was proclaimed, first over the south of this area, then over the whole of it in 1889. After negotiations with the Portuguese and German governments on its boundaries, the protectorate was formally ratified by the British government in May 1891.