Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Malawi
Malawi: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people was 546,872 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
546,872 people
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
103rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
546,872 people
in 2023
All-time low
90,488 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Malawi, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Malawi is 546,872 people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Malawi peaked at 546,872 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 90,488 people, in 1950.
That places Malawi 103rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Malawi, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 90,488 people | — |
| 1951 | 92,348 people | +2.1% |
| 1952 | 94,172 people | +2.0% |
| 1953 | 95,992 people | +1.9% |
| 1954 | 97,828 people | +1.9% |
| 1955 | 99,673 people | +1.9% |
| 1956 | 101,574 people | +1.9% |
| 1957 | 103,568 people | +2.0% |
| 1958 | 105,614 people | +2.0% |
| 1959 | 107,660 people | +1.9% |
| 1960 | 109,682 people | +1.9% |
| 1961 | 111,699 people | +1.8% |
| 1962 | 113,678 people | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 115,717 people | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 118,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1965 | 120,499 people | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 123,270 people | +2.3% |
| 1967 | 126,402 people | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 129,622 people | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 132,433 people | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 134,757 people | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 136,585 people | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 138,015 people | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 139,543 people | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 141,769 people | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 144,973 people | +2.3% |
| 1976 | 149,069 people | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 154,121 people | +3.4% |
| 1978 | 163,825 people | +6.3% |
| 1979 | 178,797 people | +9.1% |
| 1980 | 195,274 people | +9.2% |
| 1981 | 212,628 people | +8.9% |
| 1982 | 231,060 people | +8.7% |
| 1983 | 250,230 people | +8.3% |
| 1984 | 269,173 people | +7.6% |
| 1985 | 287,264 people | +6.7% |
| 1986 | 302,763 people | +5.4% |
| 1987 | 338,459 people | +11.8% |
| 1988 | 367,821 people | +8.7% |
| 1989 | 368,984 people | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 369,141 people | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 367,285 people | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 365,739 people | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 359,520 people | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 344,347 people | -4.2% |
| 1995 | 333,434 people | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 330,506 people | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 328,177 people | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 326,716 people | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 343,395 people | +5.1% |
| 2000 | 374,315 people | +9.0% |
| 2001 | 401,409 people | +7.2% |
| 2002 | 427,721 people | +6.6% |
| 2003 | 453,998 people | +6.1% |
| 2004 | 480,076 people | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 504,761 people | +5.1% |
| 2006 | 527,073 people | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 544,323 people | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 546,155 people | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 537,857 people | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 532,603 people | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 529,766 people | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 528,512 people | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 526,830 people | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 525,283 people | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 523,823 people | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 522,199 people | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 522,067 people | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 523,246 people | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 525,618 people | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 528,490 people | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 531,653 people | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 537,201 people | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 546,872 people | +1.8% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 546,872 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 571,728 people, 96% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 546,872 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 418,208 people, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 98,892 people | 90,488 people | 107,660 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 120,100 people | 109,682 people | 132,433 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 148,145 people | 134,757 people | 178,797 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 282,366 people | 195,274 people | 368,984 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 346,826 people | 326,716 people | 369,141 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 479,769 people | 374,315 people | 546,155 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 525,995 people | 522,067 people | 532,603 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 536,054 people | 528,490 people | 546,872 people | 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)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Population density 627.29 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.85 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Malawi?
- Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Malawi was 546,872 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 546,872 people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 90,488 people in 1950.
- How does Malawi rank for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- Malawi ranks 103rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 65+.