GDP per capita (current US$) (UNESCO Institute) in Malawi
Malawi: GDP per capita (current US$) (UNESCO Institute) was 508.37 current US$ in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
508.37 current US$
Change on year
down 15.6%
World rank
209th
of 211 countries
All-time high
763.06 current US$
in 2011
All-time low
169.2 current US$
in 1994
Years of data
45
1980–2024
GDP per capita in Malawi, 1980–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gdp per capita in Malawi is 508.37 current US$, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 15.6% on the previous year and down 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp per capita in Malawi peaked at 763.06 current US$ in 2011 and was at its lowest, 169.2 current US$, in 1994.
Malawi ranks 209th of 211 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
GDP per capita (current US$) (UNESCO Institute) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 287.47 current US$ | — |
| 1981 | 276.41 current US$ | -3.8% |
| 1982 | 253.34 current US$ | -8.3% |
| 1983 | 252.44 current US$ | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 239.75 current US$ | -5.0% |
| 1985 | 216.05 current US$ | -9.9% |
| 1986 | 217.87 current US$ | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 207.61 current US$ | -4.7% |
| 1988 | 229.42 current US$ | +10.5% |
| 1989 | 252.2 current US$ | +9.9% |
| 1990 | 286.73 current US$ | +13.7% |
| 1991 | 325.75 current US$ | +13.6% |
| 1992 | 258.39 current US$ | -20.7% |
| 1993 | 293.02 current US$ | +13.4% |
| 1994 | 169.2 current US$ | -42.3% |
| 1995 | 200.36 current US$ | +18.4% |
| 1996 | 320.66 current US$ | +60.0% |
| 1997 | 366.95 current US$ | +14.4% |
| 1998 | 236.04 current US$ | -35.7% |
| 1999 | 233.94 current US$ | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 224.22 current US$ | -4.2% |
| 2001 | 215.47 current US$ | -3.9% |
| 2002 | 428.21 current US$ | +98.7% |
| 2003 | 383.35 current US$ | -10.5% |
| 2004 | 404.67 current US$ | +5.6% |
| 2005 | 414.36 current US$ | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 440.82 current US$ | +6.4% |
| 2007 | 475.18 current US$ | +7.8% |
| 2008 | 554.05 current US$ | +16.6% |
| 2009 | 625.87 current US$ | +13.0% |
| 2010 | 683.12 current US$ | +9.1% |
| 2011 | 763.06 current US$ | +11.7% |
| 2012 | 558.46 current US$ | -26.8% |
| 2013 | 496.95 current US$ | -11.0% |
| 2014 | 529.51 current US$ | +6.6% |
| 2015 | 539.61 current US$ | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 450.51 current US$ | -16.5% |
| 2017 | 495.77 current US$ | +10.0% |
| 2018 | 533.2 current US$ | +7.6% |
| 2019 | 580.89 current US$ | +8.9% |
| 2020 | 602.51 current US$ | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 617.45 current US$ | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 604.27 current US$ | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 602.34 current US$ | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 508.37 current US$ | -15.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 508.37 current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is 846.83 current US$, 60% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 508.37 current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,136 current US$, 45% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where GDP per capita (current US$) (UNESCO Institute) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +98.7% | 215.47 current US$ | 428.21 current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 243.26 current US$ | 207.61 current US$ | 287.47 current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 269.11 current US$ | 169.2 current US$ | 366.95 current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 416.62 current US$ | 215.47 current US$ | 625.87 current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 563.11 current US$ | 450.51 current US$ | 763.06 current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 586.99 current US$ | 508.37 current US$ | 617.45 current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 206 Yemen 633.89 current US$ compare
- 207 Madagascar 545 current US$ compare
- 208 Central African Republic 516.17 current US$ compare
- 210 Afghanistan 413.76 current US$ compare
- 211 Burundi 153.93 current US$ compare
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)
- Population growth rate 0.423 (2100)
- Population density 627.29 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 3.85 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gdp per capita in Malawi?
- Gdp per capita in Malawi was 508.37 current US$ in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gdp per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 763.06 current US$ in 2011.
- What is the lowest gdp per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 169.2 current US$ in 1994.
- How does Malawi rank for gdp per capita?
- Malawi ranks 209th out of 211 countries with data for 2024.
- Is gdp per capita rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of GDP per capita (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release