Also written as: +265 · 00265 · 011 265 (from the USA and Canada) · 00-265
Who uses +265 and where Malawi sits
The +265 country code belongs to Malawi, listed on this page as the single country for the code. The official name is the Republic of Malawi, its ISO code is MW and the people are Malawians. Malawi is in Africa, within Eastern Africa. Its capital is Lilongwe. The languages used are English and Chewa, and the currency is the Malawian kwacha.
Local time in Malawi
Malawi uses the Africa/Maputo time zone at UTC+02:00. Calls and messages to a +265 number follow that clock wherever the person answering is in the country.
The shape of a Malawi mobile number
A Malawi mobile number in international form is written +265 991 23 45 67. The +265 prefix replaces the leading zero used for domestic dialling, so the number carries the country code first, then the mobile digits in the groups shown. Anyone abroad writing to a Malawi contact uses this format, and anyone in Malawi writing out uses the same international example format to reach a number from outside the country. Keep the spacing as shown so the digits stay readable.
Reaching a +265 number over the internet
A call or message to a +265 number can go over the internet with a data connection instead of a standard mobile line. A data connection carries the voice or text to the number you are contacting, and you pay for the data you use rather than for time on a line. This suits people who message or call Malawi contacts regularly. The same data connection works for topping up credit on a Malawi mobile: Slashtel sends prepaid mobile top-ups to these Malawi operators, Airtel and TNM, so you can top up a Malawi number from the top-up page. Check that the number is written in the +265 991 23 45 67 form before you send, since the operator needs the full international number to credit the right account. The person in Malawi then has credit on an Airtel or TNM line for calls, messages and data.
Before you send
Confirm the number you hold is a Malawi mobile number with the +265 country code and the right operator, Airtel or TNM. Note the Africa/Maputo (UTC+02:00) time when you plan a call, and use the example format to keep the digits complete.
Facts checked 26 October 2026.
Malawi number format
| International | +265 991 23 45 67 |
| E.164 (apps and forms) | +265991234567 |
| Inside Malawi | 0991 23 45 67 |
| Digits after +265 | 9 (numbers can be 7 to 9 digits) |
Example mobile number format from Google's libphonenumber data, not a real subscriber.
How to call Malawi
| Calling from | Dial |
|---|---|
| Any mobile phone | +265 991 23 45 67 |
| the United States (landline) | 011 265 991 23 45 67 |
| Canada (landline) | 011 265 991 23 45 67 |
| the United Kingdom (landline) | 00 265 991 23 45 67 |
| Ireland (landline) | 00 265 991 23 45 67 |
| the United Arab Emirates (landline) | 00 265 991 23 45 67 |
| Australia (landline) | 0011 265 991 23 45 67 |
| India (landline) | 00 265 991 23 45 67 |
| Germany (landline) | 00 265 991 23 45 67 |
| France (landline) | 00 265 991 23 45 67 |
| Spain (landline) | 00 265 991 23 45 67 |
| Saudi Arabia (landline) | 00 265 991 23 45 67 |
| South Africa (landline) | 00 265 991 23 45 67 |
| Inside Malawi | 0991 23 45 67 |
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+265 in other languages
- مفتاح 00265 (+265) هو مفتاح الاتصال الدولي لدولة ملاوي
- 00265 (+265) est l'indicatif téléphonique de : Malawi
- +265 (00265) es el prefijo telefónico de: Malaui
- +265 (00265) ist die Ländervorwahl von: Malawi
- +265 (00265) è il prefisso internazionale di: Malawi
- +265 (00265) é o código de país de: Malaui
- +265 (00265) hangi ülkenin kodu? Malavi
- +265 (00265): телефонный код страны Малави
- +265 (00265): κωδικός χώρας για Μαλάουι
- +265 (00265) kis desh ka code hai? Malawi ka country code hai
- +265 (00265) मलावी का देश कोड है
- +265 (00265) ملاوی کا کنٹری کوڈ ہے
- +265 (00265) کد کشور مالاوی است
- +265 (00265) là mã quốc gia của Malawi
- +265 (00265) คือรหัสประเทศของ มาลาวี
Questions
Which country has the country code +265?
+265 is the country code for Malawi.
How do I call Malawi from the USA or Canada?
Dial 011, then 265, then the number without the leading 0: for example 011 265 991 23 45 67. From a mobile you can dial +265 991 23 45 67 instead.
How do I call Malawi from the UK?
Dial 00, then 265, then the number without the leading 0: for example 00 265 991 23 45 67.
How many digits is a Malawi mobile number?
9 digits after the country code +265, or 10 digits including the leading 0 when dialled inside Malawi. Example: +265 991 23 45 67.
Which country is 00265?
00265 is Malawi. 00 is the exit code used in most countries, so 00265, +265 and 011 265 from the USA all reach the same country.
Is +265 the same as 00265?
Yes. The + stands for the exit code of the country you are calling from. In most countries that is 00, so +265 and 00265 are the same. From the USA and Canada the exit code is 011, so you would dial 011265.
Can I send a mobile top-up to a +265 number?
Yes. Slashtel sends prepaid top-ups to Airtel, TNM numbers in Malawi, paid with a card from any country.
Nearby codes: +263 Zimbabwe · +264 Namibia · +266 Lesotho · +267 Botswana · all country codes