Nyasaland was a British Protectorate in Southeast Africa, formerly known as Malawi. The country gained its independence in 1964 and changed its name to Malawi. Nyasaland is often used as a synonym for Malawi, although the former refers specifically to the period of British rule. Some other synonyms for Nyasaland might include "British Central Africa," "British Nyasaland," and "The Nyasaland Protectorate," all of which were names used during the colonial period. However, nowadays, it is better to refer to the country as Malawi to avoid any confusion.