Machinga is a small town with 1300 inhabitants (2006 estimate) in Malawi at the northern foot of the Shire highlands and capital of the district of the same name with an area of 3771 km² and 369,614 inhabitants. The district extends from the city to the east to the Mozambican border at Nayuchi . In the vicinity of the city there are warm thermal springs with a spa house. Because of the steep slopes to the Zombaplateau , the inaccessibility of which offers animals ample refuge, the game population is high here.
