Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malawi
Malawi: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 17.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
17.6%
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
230th
of 236 countries
All-time high
17.6%
in 2025
All-time low
3.5%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malawi, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malawi stood at 17.6%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malawi peaked at 17.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 1950.
That places Malawi 230th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.5% | — |
| 1951 | 3.5% | +0.3% |
| 1952 | 3.6% | +0.6% |
| 1953 | 3.6% | +0.9% |
| 1954 | 3.6% | +1.1% |
| 1955 | 3.7% | +1.3% |
| 1956 | 3.7% | +1.6% |
| 1957 | 3.8% | +1.7% |
| 1958 | 3.9% | +1.9% |
| 1959 | 4.0% | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 4.0% | +2.2% |
| 1961 | 4.1% | +2.3% |
| 1962 | 4.2% | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 4.3% | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 4.5% | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 4.6% | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 4.7% | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 4.8% | +3.4% |
| 1968 | 5.1% | +4.9% |
| 1969 | 5.4% | +5.9% |
| 1970 | 5.7% | +6.5% |
| 1971 | 6.1% | +6.8% |
| 1972 | 6.5% | +6.7% |
| 1973 | 7.0% | +6.4% |
| 1974 | 7.4% | +5.9% |
| 1975 | 7.8% | +5.3% |
| 1976 | 8.1% | +4.6% |
| 1977 | 8.4% | +3.8% |
| 1978 | 8.7% | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 8.9% | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 9.1% | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 9.3% | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 9.5% | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 9.7% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 9.9% | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 10.1% | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 10.9% | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 12.0% | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 12.4% | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 12.9% | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 13.3% | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 13.6% | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 14.0% | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 14.2% | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 14.6% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 14.7% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 14.9% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 15.0% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 15.0% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 15.2% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 15.6% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 15.6% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 15.7% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 15.8% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 15.8% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 15.9% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 16.0% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 16.0% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 16.1% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 16.3% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 16.5% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 16.7% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 17.0% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 17.3% | +1.7% |
| 2025 | 17.6% | +1.9% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 17.6% is below the median for low income countries, which is 34.5%, 51% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 17.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 39% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.7% | 3.5% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.6% | 4.0% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.5% | 5.7% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.1% | 9.1% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.3% | 11.6% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.1% | 14.7% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.8% | 15.5% | 16.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.9% | 16.3% | 17.6% | 6 |
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 share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malawi?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malawi was 17.6% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 17.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 1950.
- How does Malawi rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Malawi ranks 230th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.