Annual change in population in Malawi
Malawi: Annual change in population was 535,749 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
535,749 people
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
39th
of 236 countries
All-time high
535,749 people
in 2023
All-time low
-119,128 people
in 1994
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual change in population in Malawi, 1951–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 535,749 people for annual change in population in 2023. That is the highest value across all 73 years on record.
The figure is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in population in Malawi peaked at 535,749 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, -119,128 people, in 1994.
Malawi ranks 39th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual change in population in Malawi, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 52,587 people | — |
| 1952 | 56,496 people | +7.4% |
| 1953 | 59,860 people | +6.0% |
| 1954 | 62,297 people | +4.1% |
| 1955 | 65,004 people | +4.3% |
| 1956 | 68,756 people | +5.8% |
| 1957 | 72,446 people | +5.4% |
| 1958 | 76,202 people | +5.2% |
| 1959 | 80,220 people | +5.3% |
| 1960 | 83,969 people | +4.7% |
| 1961 | 87,407 people | +4.1% |
| 1962 | 90,767 people | +3.8% |
| 1963 | 94,203 people | +3.8% |
| 1964 | 96,796 people | +2.8% |
| 1965 | 98,849 people | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 101,771 people | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 105,089 people | +3.3% |
| 1968 | 108,037 people | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 110,129 people | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 112,765 people | +2.4% |
| 1971 | 117,492 people | +4.2% |
| 1972 | 123,038 people | +4.7% |
| 1973 | 129,456 people | +5.2% |
| 1974 | 137,407 people | +6.1% |
| 1975 | 146,029 people | +6.3% |
| 1976 | 156,019 people | +6.8% |
| 1977 | 171,603 people | +10.0% |
| 1978 | 195,142 people | +13.7% |
| 1979 | 218,615 people | +12.0% |
| 1980 | 236,779 people | +8.3% |
| 1981 | 250,931 people | +6.0% |
| 1982 | 262,425 people | +4.6% |
| 1983 | 272,822 people | +4.0% |
| 1984 | 281,104 people | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 287,698 people | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 285,976 people | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 386,688 people | +35.2% |
| 1988 | 460,092 people | +19.0% |
| 1989 | 422,958 people | -8.1% |
| 1990 | 369,637 people | -12.6% |
| 1991 | 298,368 people | -19.3% |
| 1992 | 290,854 people | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 148,945 people | -48.8% |
| 1994 | -119,128 people | -180.0% |
| 1995 | -14,777 people | -87.6% |
| 1996 | 202,105 people | -1467.7% |
| 1997 | 209,808 people | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 230,842 people | +10.0% |
| 1999 | 254,935 people | +10.4% |
| 2000 | 268,135 people | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 277,110 people | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 287,386 people | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 301,132 people | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 319,161 people | +6.0% |
| 2005 | 339,298 people | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 358,665 people | +5.7% |
| 2007 | 377,645 people | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 400,071 people | +5.9% |
| 2009 | 419,373 people | +4.8% |
| 2010 | 430,678 people | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 438,560 people | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 444,551 people | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 452,239 people | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 459,718 people | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 464,053 people | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 472,154 people | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 481,973 people | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 488,372 people | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 497,662 people | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 508,137 people | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 513,379 people | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 521,467 people | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 535,749 people | +2.7% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 535,749 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 556,727 people, 96% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 535,749 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 359,940 people, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual change in population in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +1467.7% | -14,777 people | 202,105 people |
| 1994 | -180.0% | 148,945 people | -119,128 people |
| 1995 | +87.6% | -119,128 people | -14,777 people |
| 1993 | -48.8% | 290,854 people | 148,945 people |
| 1987 | +35.2% | 285,976 people | 386,688 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 65,985 people | 52,587 people | 80,220 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 97,702 people | 83,969 people | 110,129 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 150,757 people | 112,765 people | 218,615 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 314,747 people | 236,779 people | 460,092 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 187,159 people | -119,128 people | 369,637 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 334,798 people | 268,135 people | 419,373 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 462,996 people | 430,678 people | 497,662 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 519,683 people | 508,137 people | 535,749 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More population data for Malawi
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.1183 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.3622 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 37,159 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.45 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2289 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Population density 627.29 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.85 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in population in Malawi?
- Annual change in population in Malawi was 535,749 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in population recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 535,749 people in 2023.
- What is the lowest annual change in population recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -119,128 people in 1994.
- How does Malawi rank for annual change in population?
- Malawi ranks 39th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual change in population rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 73 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual change in population, calculated as the difference between population on 1 July of consecutive years.