Poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (PPP) in Malawi

Malawi: Poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (PPP) was 87.3% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
87.3%
Change on year
up 2.6%
World rank
2nd
of 120 countries
All-time high
87.3%
in 2019
All-time low
79.8%
in 1997
Years of data
5
1997–2019

Poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (PPP) in Malawi, 1997–2019

0204060801997200820191997: 79.8 % of population2004: 86.7 % of population2010: 85.2 % of population2016: 85.1 % of population2019: 87.3 % of population

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in % of population.

Analysis

The most recent figure for poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (ppp) in Malawi is 87.3%, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.

That represents a change of up 2.6% on the previous year and up 2.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (ppp) in Malawi peaked at 87.3% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 79.8%, in 1997.

Malawi ranks 2nd of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

Poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (PPP) in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (PPP) (% of population) in Malawi, 1997 to 2019.
Year % of population Change
1997 79.8%
2004 86.7% +8.6%
2010 85.2% -1.7%
2016 85.1% -0.1%
2019 87.3% +2.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 79.8% 79.8% 79.8% 1
2000s 86.7% 86.7% 86.7% 1
2010s 85.9% 85.1% 87.3% 3

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 1 Mozambique 89.1% compare
  2. 3 Burundi 87.2% compare
  3. 4 Madagascar 83.9% compare
  4. 5 Zambia 81.4% compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More population data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (ppp) in Malawi?
Poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (ppp) in Malawi was 87.3% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (ppp) recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 87.3% in 2019.
What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (ppp) recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 79.8% in 1997.
How does Malawi rank for poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (ppp)?
Malawi ranks 2nd out of 120 countries with data for 2019.
Is poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (ppp) rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.5%. 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 Poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (PPP) (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (PPP) in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/poverty-headcount-ratio-at-3-20-a-day-ppp-percent-of-population/malawi/

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About this data

Indicator
Poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (PPP) (% of population)
Unit
% of population
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
120 places, 2,250 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release