Dowa is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. The capital is Dowa. The district covers an area of 3,041 km². and has a population of 411,387. The Chewas are the predominant ethnic group and Nyau dancing is one of the cultures left by the chewa ancestors, followed by Ngonis. These two groups are predominantly farming communities. Dowa district is an agricultural district which focuses on cotton, tobacco and groundnut farming, and the main food crops produced in the district are maize, sweet potatoes and pulses.