Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) (UNESCO) in Malawi
Malawi: Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) (UNESCO) was 1,161 LCU per US$, period average in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
1,161 LCU per US$, period average
Change on year
up 22.3%
World rank
28th
of 209 countries
All-time high
1,161 LCU per US$, period average
in 2023
All-time low
0.8016 LCU per US$, period average
in 1972
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Official exchange rate in Malawi, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in LCU per US$, period average.
Analysis
The most recent figure for official exchange rate in Malawi is 1,161 LCU per US$, period average, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 22.3% on the previous year and up 218.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, official exchange rate in Malawi peaked at 1,161 LCU per US$, period average in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.8016 LCU per US$, period average, in 1972.
That places Malawi 28th out of 209 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) (UNESCO) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | LCU per US$, period average | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.8333 LCU per US$, period average | — |
| 1971 | 0.8309 LCU per US$, period average | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 0.8016 LCU per US$, period average | -3.5% |
| 1973 | 0.8193 LCU per US$, period average | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 0.8412 LCU per US$, period average | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 0.8638 LCU per US$, period average | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 0.913 LCU per US$, period average | +5.7% |
| 1977 | 0.9029 LCU per US$, period average | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 0.8438 LCU per US$, period average | -6.6% |
| 1979 | 0.8169 LCU per US$, period average | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 0.8121 LCU per US$, period average | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 0.8953 LCU per US$, period average | +10.2% |
| 1982 | 1.06 LCU per US$, period average | +17.9% |
| 1983 | 1.17 LCU per US$, period average | +11.3% |
| 1984 | 1.41 LCU per US$, period average | +20.3% |
| 1985 | 1.72 LCU per US$, period average | +21.6% |
| 1986 | 1.86 LCU per US$, period average | +8.3% |
| 1987 | 2.21 LCU per US$, period average | +18.7% |
| 1988 | 2.56 LCU per US$, period average | +16.0% |
| 1989 | 2.76 LCU per US$, period average | +7.7% |
| 1990 | 2.73 LCU per US$, period average | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 2.8 LCU per US$, period average | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 3.6 LCU per US$, period average | +28.5% |
| 1993 | 4.4 LCU per US$, period average | +22.2% |
| 1994 | 8.74 LCU per US$, period average | +98.4% |
| 1995 | 15.28 LCU per US$, period average | +74.9% |
| 1996 | 15.31 LCU per US$, period average | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 16.44 LCU per US$, period average | +7.4% |
| 1998 | 31.07 LCU per US$, period average | +89.0% |
| 1999 | 44.09 LCU per US$, period average | +41.9% |
| 2000 | 59.54 LCU per US$, period average | +35.1% |
| 2001 | 72.2 LCU per US$, period average | +21.3% |
| 2002 | 76.69 LCU per US$, period average | +6.2% |
| 2003 | 97.43 LCU per US$, period average | +27.1% |
| 2004 | 108.9 LCU per US$, period average | +11.8% |
| 2005 | 118.42 LCU per US$, period average | +8.7% |
| 2006 | 136.01 LCU per US$, period average | +14.9% |
| 2007 | 139.96 LCU per US$, period average | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 140.52 LCU per US$, period average | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 141.17 LCU per US$, period average | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 150.49 LCU per US$, period average | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 156.52 LCU per US$, period average | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 249.11 LCU per US$, period average | +59.2% |
| 2013 | 364.41 LCU per US$, period average | +46.3% |
| 2014 | 424.9 LCU per US$, period average | +16.6% |
| 2015 | 499.61 LCU per US$, period average | +17.6% |
| 2016 | 718 LCU per US$, period average | +43.7% |
| 2017 | 730.27 LCU per US$, period average | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 732.33 LCU per US$, period average | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 745.54 LCU per US$, period average | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 749.53 LCU per US$, period average | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 805.9 LCU per US$, period average | +7.5% |
| 2022 | 949.04 LCU per US$, period average | +17.8% |
| 2023 | 1,161 LCU per US$, period average | +22.3% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 1,161 LCU per US$, period average is above the median for low income countries, which is 606.35 LCU per US$, period average, 1.9× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 1,161 LCU per US$, period average is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 606.35 LCU per US$, period average, 1.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) (UNESCO) in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +98.4% | 4.4 LCU per US$, period average | 8.74 LCU per US$, period average |
| 1998 | +89.0% | 16.44 LCU per US$, period average | 31.07 LCU per US$, period average |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.8467 LCU per US$, period average | 0.8016 LCU per US$, period average | 0.913 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.65 LCU per US$, period average | 0.8121 LCU per US$, period average | 2.76 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.45 LCU per US$, period average | 2.73 LCU per US$, period average | 44.09 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2000s | 109.08 LCU per US$, period average | 59.54 LCU per US$, period average | 141.17 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2010s | 477.12 LCU per US$, period average | 150.49 LCU per US$, period average | 745.54 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2020s | 916.39 LCU per US$, period average | 749.53 LCU per US$, period average | 1,161 LCU per US$, period average | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 25 Yemen 1,355 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 26 Rwanda 1,318 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 27 Iraq 1,300 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 29 Chile 943.57 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 30 Argentina 914.7 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Angola 869.85 LCU per US$, period average compare
More population data for Malawi
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.1183 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.3622 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 37,159 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.45 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2289 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.423 (2100)
- Population density 627.29 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 3.85 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is official exchange rate in Malawi?
- Official exchange rate in Malawi was 1,161 LCU per US$, period average in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest official exchange rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 1,161 LCU per US$, period average in 2023.
- What is the lowest official exchange rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8016 LCU per US$, period average in 1972.
- How does Malawi rank for official exchange rate?
- Malawi ranks 28th out of 209 countries with data for 2023.
- Is official exchange rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 218.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average). 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