The Shire or Chire River is the only outlet of Lake Malawi and flows into the Zambezi River in Mozambique. Its length is 402 kilometres (250 miles). The upper Shire River issues from Lake Malawi and runs approximately 12 miles before it enters shallow Lake Malombe. It then drains Lake Malombe and flows south through Liwonde National Park where large concentrations of hippopotamus are common along its shores.
Two hydroelectric dams have been built along the Shire northwest of Blantyre, FES works include the construction of a reservoir, supply canal and intake canal from the river. The is lifted by the floating pump.