Malawi Kwacha is the official currency of Malawi, a nation in southeast Africa. It is also known as the MWK symbol. The Malawi Kwacha is a fiat currency that was introduced in 1971 to replace the Malawi Pound. It is subdivided into 100 tambala. Other synonyms for the Malawi Kwacha include the Malawian Dollar and simply the Kwacha. The initial design for the Malawi Kwacha featured a portrait of the first president of Malawi, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda. The currency has undergone several redesigns in recent years, with a new design including a portrait of Bingu wa Mutharika, Malawi's third president. The currency exchange rate is often updated in various financial markets worldwide.