Data as of Aug 2, 2026, 9:40 PM

SERIAL · 454Africa

Malawi

CapitalLilongwe

CurrencyMWK · Malawian kwacha

LanguageEnglish, Chewa, Tumbuka

Area118,480 km²

Since1964

ISOMWI · MW

Population

—

— THE COUNTRY —

Country in Southeastern Africa

Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over 118,484 km2 (45,747 sq mi) and has a population of 22,224,282. Lilongwe is its capital and largest city.

Text: Wikipedia — MalawiCC BY-SA 4.0 · revised 2026-08-02

— FACTS —

Capital: Lilongwe
Currency: Malawian kwacha (MWK)
Official language: English, Chewa, Tumbuka
Drives on the: Left
Calling code: +265
Licence plate code: MW
Top-level domain: .mw
Independence / founding: 06 Jul 1964
Highest point: Mulanje Massif (3,002 m)
Lowest point: Shire River (37 m)
Anthem: Chiuta dangililani Malaŵi

Facts: Wikidata (CC0) · as of 2026-08-02

— LAND —

Land covered by forest

22.4%% of land area

#127 of 2132023

71% of world average

Forest area

21,157km²

#105 of 2132023

11% of world average

Agricultural land

64.2%% of land area

#32 of 2092023

173% of world average

Farmable (arable) land

42.4%% of land area

#11 of 2062023

305% of world average

Land area

118,480km²

#101 of 2152023

18% of world average

— PEOPLE —

16 of 16 figures unavailable for Malawi.

— MONEY —

Foreign reserves

$594.5Mcurrent US$

#155 of 1772020

1% of world average

External debt

$3.74Bcurrent US$

#32 of 1212024

5% of world average

Income inequality (Gini)

390-100

#104 of 1472019

108% of world average

People below the poverty line

75.4%% of population

#144 of 1472019

589% of world average

Income share held by richest 10%

31.0%%

#115 of 1472019

111% of world average

Income share held by poorest 10%

2.9%%

#68 of 1472019

104% of world average

Money sent home by workers abroad

$186.8Mcurrent US$

#145 of 1862024

4% of world average

Foreign aid received

13.1%% of GNI

#19 of 1372023

219% of world average

Exchange rate

1,161local currency per US$

#27 of 2112023

80% of world average

▸ ISSUE 4 MORE

Agriculture's share of the economy

30.0%% of GDP

#12 of 1992025

301% of world average

Industry's share of the economy

14.3%% of GDP

#167 of 2022025

58% of world average

Manufacturing's share of the economy

11.0%% of GDP

#90 of 1952024

100% of world average

Services' share of the economy

48.7%% of GDP

#154 of 2022025

84% of world average

26 of 39 figures unavailable for Malawi.

— TRADE —

Exports

10.6%% of GDP

#177 of 1872025

25% of world average

Imports

28.8%% of GDP

#141 of 1872025

58% of world average

Trade balance

-18.1%% of GDP

#151 of 1872025

no comparison

Total trade (openness)

30.9%% of GDP

#174 of 2052025

48% of world average

Goods exported

$947.0Mcurrent US$

#157 of 2072025

1% of world average

Goods imported

$3.66Bcurrent US$

#148 of 2072025

3% of world average

Services exported

$508.0Mcurrent US$

#155 of 1912024

1% of world average

Services imported

$894.6Mcurrent US$

#155 of 1912024

2% of world average

Goods and services exported

$1.53Bcurrent US$

#161 of 1912024

1% of world average

▸ ISSUE 2 MORE

Goods and services imported

$3.92Bcurrent US$

#148 of 1912024

2% of world average

High-tech share of exports

1.6%% of manufactured exports

#142 of 1792024

14% of world average

1 of 12 figures unavailable for Malawi.

— HEALTH —

Physicians

0.1 /1,000per 1,000 people

#185 of 1872022

3% of world average

Nurses and midwives

0.5 /1,000per 1,000 people

#187 of 1962022

11% of world average

Hospital beds

1.3 /1,000per 1,000 people

not enough data to rank2011

44% of world average

Access to clean drinking water

73.1%% of population

#188 of 2142024

81% of world average

Access to basic sanitation

49.2%% of population

#175 of 2132024

61% of world average

Suicide rate

8per 100,000 people

#95 of 1852021

89% of world average

Adults who smoke

8.9%% of adults

#27 of 1662024

45% of world average

HIV prevalence

6.2%% aged 15-49

#145 of 1532024

451% of world average

Tuberculosis cases

113per 100,000 people

#147 of 2082024

114% of world average

▸ ISSUE 2 MORE

Undernourishment

21.4%% of population

#144 of 1682023

212% of world average

Children vaccinated against measles

89.0%% of children 12-23 months

#106 of 1932024

104% of world average

8 of 19 figures unavailable for Malawi.

— LEARNING —

Education spending

2.7%% of GDP

#157 of 1902022

63% of world average

Education spending

16.0%% of government spending

#47 of 1892024

118% of world average

Adult literacy

70.2%% aged 15+

#95 of 1192020

84% of world average

Youth literacy

80.7%% aged 15-24

#105 of 1262020

89% of world average

Primary school enrolment

139.0%% gross

#4 of 2002024

138% of world average

Secondary school enrolment

36.6%% gross

#179 of 1882023

42% of world average

University enrolment

2.7%% gross

#166 of 1672022

5% of world average

Primary school completion

70.1%% of relevant age group

#157 of 1802024

78% of world average

Pupils per teacher, primary school

59pupils per teacher

#158 of 1602018

264% of world average

▸ ISSUE 1 MORE

Years of compulsory education

8.0 yrsyears

#161 of 1972025

80% of world average

— WORK —

Unemployment

5.1%% of labour force

#89 of 1862025

73% of world average

Youth unemployment

6.9%% of labour force aged 15-24

#43 of 1862025

44% of world average

Labour force participation

62.6%% aged 15+

#86 of 1862025

103% of world average

Women in the labour force

58.2%% of women aged 15+

#60 of 1862025

114% of world average

8 of 12 figures unavailable for Malawi.

— CONNECTED —

Money earned from tourism

$35.0Mcurrent US$

#160 of 1752020

1% of world average

17 of 18 figures unavailable for Malawi.

— NATURE —

Carbon emissions per person

0tonnes per person

#25 of 2032024

5% of world average

Carbon emissions

5Mt CO2

#66 of 2032024

3% of world average

Greenhouse gas emissions

19Mt CO2-equivalent

#82 of 2032024

8% of world average

Protected land

23.1%% of land area

#63 of 2132025

122% of world average

Freshwater withdrawn

8.4%% of internal resources

#84 of 1772022

7% of world average

Renewable water available per person

785m³ per person

#140 of 1832022

6% of world average

Renewable energy use

62.9%% of final energy consumption

#33 of 2122022

216% of world average

Electricity from renewables

80.1%% of total

#29 of 2062021

231% of world average

Electricity from fossil fuels

19.9%% of total

#36 of 2092021

34% of world average

▸ ISSUE 1 MORE

Electricity from nuclear power

0.0%% of total

#129 of 2082021

0% of world average

2 of 12 figures unavailable for Malawi.

— STATE —

Military spending

1.0%% of GDP

#110 of 1562024

46% of world average

Military spending

$117.6Mcurrent US$

#136 of 1602024

1% of world average

Military spending

3.5%% of government spending

#116 of 1532024

47% of world average

Armed forces personnel

15,000people

#118 of 1702020

9% of world average

Armed forces

0.2%% of labour force

#154 of 1682020

16% of world average

Tax revenue

15.6%% of GDP

#81 of 1492024

93% of world average

Homicides

2per 100,000 people

not enough data to rank2012

23% of world average

— TRADE PARTNERS —

Loading trade partner map…

— TRADE —

No trade data available for Malawi.

— EXTRAS —

Anthem

Chiuta dangililani MalaŵiAudio: Wikimedia Commons

Capital time

--:--:--Lilongwe · approx. UTC+2

Neighbours

Mozambique

Tanzania

Zambia

Landmarks

Chongoni Rock Art AreaImage: Wikimedia Commons

Lake Malawi National ParkImage: Wikimedia Commons

People

Hastings BandaFirst president of Malawi

Joyce Banda4th President of Malawi

Peter MutharikaPresident of Malawi

Bingu wa MutharikaMalawi politician and economist (1934-2012)

Lazarus ChakweraMalawi religious figure and politician

Bakili MuluziMalawian politician

William KamkwambaMalawian inventor and author

Saulos ChilimaMalawian economist and politician (1973–2024), vice President of Malawi (2014–2019, 2020–2024)

Theresa Kachindamoto)paramount chief in Malawi

Jabulani LinjeMalawian association football player

Russell MwafulirwaMalawian footballer

History

06 Jul 1964Malawi — founding / independence (Wikidata)

Size, side by side

Loading size comparison…

1960 → now

2026

Population22.2M2025

GDP$14.92B2025

GDP per person$6722025