Long term urban population region, annual growth rate in Malawi
Malawi: Long term urban population region, annual growth rate was 1.8 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
1.8 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
18th
of 202 countries
All-time high
5.36 % change on previous year
in 1975
All-time low
1.7 % change on previous year
in 1982
Years of data
75
1951–2025
Long term urban population region, annual growth rate in Malawi, 1951–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 1.8 % change on previous year for long term urban population region, annual growth rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, long term urban population region, annual growth rate in Malawi peaked at 5.36 % change on previous year in 1975 and was at its lowest, 1.7 % change on previous year, in 1982.
That places Malawi 18th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 75 years of available data.
Long term urban population region, annual growth rate in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 2.17 % change on previous year | — |
| 1952 | 2.25 % change on previous year | +4.0% |
| 1953 | 2.27 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1954 | 2.32 % change on previous year | +2.0% |
| 1955 | 2.29 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 1956 | 2.28 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 1957 | 2.27 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1958 | 2.27 % change on previous year | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 2.28 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 1960 | 2.33 % change on previous year | +2.0% |
| 1961 | 2.33 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 1962 | 2.35 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 2.37 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 2.34 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 1965 | 2.3 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 1966 | 2.25 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 4.59 % change on previous year | +103.6% |
| 1968 | 4.88 % change on previous year | +6.3% |
| 1969 | 4.93 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 5.01 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 4.75 % change on previous year | -5.1% |
| 1972 | 4.96 % change on previous year | +4.5% |
| 1973 | 5.12 % change on previous year | +3.2% |
| 1974 | 5.27 % change on previous year | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 5.36 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 4.58 % change on previous year | -14.6% |
| 1977 | 4.77 % change on previous year | +4.2% |
| 1978 | 3.01 % change on previous year | -36.8% |
| 1979 | 2.46 % change on previous year | -18.3% |
| 1980 | 2.36 % change on previous year | -4.4% |
| 1981 | 1.82 % change on previous year | -22.6% |
| 1982 | 1.7 % change on previous year | -6.8% |
| 1983 | 1.99 % change on previous year | +17.0% |
| 1984 | 2.79 % change on previous year | +40.0% |
| 1985 | 3.84 % change on previous year | +38.0% |
| 1986 | 2.05 % change on previous year | -46.5% |
| 1987 | 3.03 % change on previous year | +47.8% |
| 1988 | 3.68 % change on previous year | +21.4% |
| 1989 | 3.1 % change on previous year | -15.9% |
| 1990 | 1.98 % change on previous year | -36.0% |
| 1991 | 4.19 % change on previous year | +111.2% |
| 1992 | 3.08 % change on previous year | -26.6% |
| 1993 | 2.51 % change on previous year | -18.5% |
| 1994 | 2.7 % change on previous year | +7.6% |
| 1995 | 3.38 % change on previous year | +25.4% |
| 1996 | 2.49 % change on previous year | -26.4% |
| 1997 | 3.14 % change on previous year | +26.1% |
| 1998 | 3.56 % change on previous year | +13.5% |
| 1999 | 3.65 % change on previous year | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 3.52 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 2001 | 2.36 % change on previous year | -32.9% |
| 2002 | 2.31 % change on previous year | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 2.26 % change on previous year | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 2.21 % change on previous year | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 2.16 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 2.11 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 2.07 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 2.03 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 1.99 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 1.95 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 2.11 % change on previous year | +8.3% |
| 2012 | 2.07 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 2.03 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 1.98 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 1.95 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 1.91 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 1.87 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 1.84 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 1.81 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 1.77 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 1.94 % change on previous year | +9.3% |
| 2022 | 1.9 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 1.87 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 1.83 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 2025 | 1.8 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 1.8 % change on previous year is above the median for low income countries, which is 1.55 % change on previous year, 1.2× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 1.8 % change on previous year is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.23 % change on previous year, 1.5× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Long term urban population region, annual growth rate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +111.2% | 1.98 % change on previous year | 4.19 % change on previous year |
| 1967 | +103.6% | 2.25 % change on previous year | 4.59 % change on previous year |
| 1987 | +47.8% | 2.05 % change on previous year | 3.03 % change on previous year |
| 1986 | -46.5% | 3.84 % change on previous year | 2.05 % change on previous year |
| 1984 | +40.0% | 1.99 % change on previous year | 2.79 % change on previous year |
| 1985 | +38.0% | 2.79 % change on previous year | 3.84 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.27 % change on previous year | 2.17 % change on previous year | 2.32 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1960s | 3.07 % change on previous year | 2.25 % change on previous year | 4.93 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.53 % change on previous year | 2.46 % change on previous year | 5.36 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.64 % change on previous year | 1.7 % change on previous year | 3.84 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.07 % change on previous year | 1.98 % change on previous year | 4.19 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.3 % change on previous year | 1.99 % change on previous year | 3.52 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.95 % change on previous year | 1.81 % change on previous year | 2.11 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.85 % change on previous year | 1.77 % change on previous year | 1.94 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 15 Eswatini 1.86 % change on previous year compare
- 16 Kenya 1.83 % change on previous year compare
- 17 Eritrea 1.83 % change on previous year compare
- 19 Liechtenstein 1.78 % change on previous year compare
- 20 Afghanistan 1.77 % change on previous year compare
- 21 Cambodia 1.76 % change on previous year 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 long term urban population region, annual growth rate in Malawi?
- Long term urban population region, annual growth rate in Malawi was 1.8 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest long term urban population region, annual growth rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 5.36 % change on previous year in 1975.
- What is the lowest long term urban population region, annual growth rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7 % change on previous year in 1982.
- How does Malawi rank for long term urban population region, annual growth rate?
- Malawi ranks 18th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is long term urban population region, annual growth rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Long term urban population region, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Long term urban population region. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Long term urban population region Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Long term urban population region. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.