Share of population living in urbanized areas in Malawi
Malawi: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 26.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Malawi, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urbanized areas in Malawi stood at 26.3%. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in Malawi peaked at 26.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Malawi 188th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1800s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1810s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1830s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1840s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1860s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 1870s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1880s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 1890s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1900s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1910s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 1920s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 1930s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 1 |
| 1940s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 1 |
| 1950s | 3.8% | 3.4% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.4% | 5.9% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.1% | 9.0% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.5% | 11.6% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.7% | 16.0% | 19.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.6% | 19.8% | 23.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.1% | 23.9% | 26.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More population data for Malawi
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.85 million people (2100)
- Population density 627.29 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 3.59 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 35,510 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 3.59 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 3.59 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 2.6% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 3.65 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urbanized areas in Malawi?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in Malawi was 26.3% in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 26.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Malawi rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- Malawi ranks 188th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urbanized areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of population living in urban areas in a country over time.