Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Malawi
Malawi: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 67.35 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
67.35 years
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
168th
of 215 countries
All-time high
67.35 years
in 2023
All-time low
36.64 years
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Life expectancy at birth, total in Malawi, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, life expectancy at birth, total in Malawi stood at 67.35 years. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 10.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in Malawi peaked at 67.35 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 36.64 years, in 1970.
Malawi ranks 168th of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 36.64 years | — |
| 1971 | 37.09 years | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 37.61 years | +1.4% |
| 1973 | 38.35 years | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 39.2 years | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 40.08 years | +2.3% |
| 1976 | 41.02 years | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 41.98 years | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 43 years | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 43.7 years | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 44.33 years | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 44.72 years | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 44.84 years | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 44.97 years | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 44.81 years | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 44.57 years | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 44.3 years | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 43.9 years | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 43.57 years | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 43.52 years | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 43.58 years | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 43.54 years | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 43.64 years | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 43.65 years | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 43.8 years | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 43.8 years | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 44.01 years | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 44.2 years | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 44.3 years | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 45.06 years | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 46.17 years | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 47.2 years | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 48.18 years | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 49.6 years | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 51.07 years | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 52.47 years | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 53.65 years | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 54.69 years | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 55.72 years | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 56.71 years | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 57.79 years | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 58.86 years | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 59.87 years | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 60.82 years | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 61.65 years | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 62.32 years | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 63.16 years | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 63.91 years | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 64.46 years | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 65 years | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 65.22 years | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 64.78 years | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 66.04 years | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 67.35 years | +2.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 67.35 years is above the median for low income countries, which is 63.65 years, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 67.35 years is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.1 years, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 39.87 years | 36.64 years | 43.7 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 44.35 years | 43.52 years | 44.97 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 43.96 years | 43.54 years | 45.06 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.55 years | 46.17 years | 56.71 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.78 years | 57.79 years | 65 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.85 years | 64.78 years | 67.35 years | 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)
- 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 life expectancy at birth, total in Malawi?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in Malawi was 67.35 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 67.35 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.64 years in 1970.
- How does Malawi rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Malawi ranks 168th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.7%. 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 Life expectancy at birth, total (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release