Malawi

Sub-Saharan Africa·Low income

Population: 21.1M; 61st of 217
GDP: $11B; 154th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $508; 211th of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 67.4; 170th of 217
Human development: 0.512; 167th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Malawi

Central African Republic

Madagascar

Somalia

Mozambique

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

low-income East African economy; primarily agrarian; investing in human capital; urban poverty increasing due to COVID-19; high public debt; endemic corruption and poor property rights; poor hydroelectric grid; localized pharmaceutical industry

Area: 118,484 km²
Languages: English (official), Chewa (dominant), Lambya, Lomwe, Ngoni, Nkhonde, Nyakyusa, Nyanja…
Resources: limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Borders: Mozambique 1,498 km; Tanzania; Zambia

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian87.4%
Muslim11.6%
Unaffiliated0.9%

Religious diversity: 2.61 / 10 · moderate · 107th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

MWI

CAF

MDG

SOM

GDP

current US$

$11B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$203M–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

38.3%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

32.4%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

16%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

21.1M–––

Population density

people per km²

218.2–––

Urban population

% of total

18.3%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

3.6–––

Net migration

people

-1,507–––

Population under 15

% of total

40.7%–––

Population 65+

% of total

2.6%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

6.5%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

3.3%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

525.2–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

89–––

Electricity generation

TWh

1.8–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

2.61–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

0.9%–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

1%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#154/214

$11B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#211/214

$5082024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#194/203

$1,830latest

GDP growth

annual %

#151/214

1.8%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#203/207

$5402024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#203/213

27.3%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#137/201

$203M2023

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#154/205

38.3%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#12/206

32.4%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#161/208

16%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#87/187

5%latest

Gini index

0–100

#109/168

38.5latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#164/168

75.4%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#61/217

21.1Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#64/216

218.2latest

Urban population

% of total

#209/215

18.3%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#170/217

67.4latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#39/217

3.6latest

Net migration

people

#117/217

-1,5072024

Population under 15

% of total

#23/217

40.7%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#207/217

2.6%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#147/196

29.4latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#147/196

38.3latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#97/192

6.5%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#189/195

0latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#134/160

68.1%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#139/199

3.3%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#194/194

0.9%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#130/139

17.8%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#200/210

18%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#193/214

61.12023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#195/208

0.12023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#189/215

32.52024

Access to electricity

% of population

#212/215

15.6%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#191/198

525.22023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#186/202

892022

Electricity generation

TWh

#143/202

1.82022

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#14/202

95.6%2022

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#16/202

4.4%2022

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#49/204

1.92024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#5/204

0.12024

Share of global CO₂

#156/204

0%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#13/193

1.42023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#62/172

0.6422022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#55/172

0.5382022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#109/178

342022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#130/193

-0.612022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#150/193

-0.8412022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#103/193

-0.2192022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#107/193

-0.1532022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#61/172

0.842022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#107/193

2.612020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#131/193

0.9%2020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#167/189

0.5122021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#142/170

0.5542021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#160/164

3.282025

Global Peace Index

1–5

#71/158

1.972023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#121/161

1%latest

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