Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Malawi
Malawi: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 3.91 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Number of people 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 people.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 3.91 million people for number of people living in urban and rural areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.5% on the previous year and up 44.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Malawi peaked at 3.91 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 104,199 people, in 1950.
That places Malawi 116th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 119,404 people | 104,199 people | 140,237 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 186,870 people | 146,718 people | 243,296 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 396,808 people | 265,665 people | 537,597 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 770,168 people | 572,276 people | 1.03 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.37 million people | 1.11 million people | 1.61 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.92 million people | 1.66 million people | 2.22 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.67 million people | 2.29 million people | 3.07 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.53 million people | 3.18 million people | 3.91 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 113 Congo 4.16 million people compare
- 114 Costa Rica 4.11 million people compare
- 115 Sierra Leone 4.05 million people compare
- 117 Burundi 3.70 million people compare
- 118 Turkmenistan 3.59 million people compare
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 number of people living in urban and rural areas in Malawi?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Malawi was 3.91 million people 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 number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 3.91 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 104,199 people in 1950.
- How does Malawi rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Malawi ranks 116th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.