Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Malawi
Malawi: Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 was 17.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
17.6%
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
232nd
of 238 countries
All-time high
17.6%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Malawi, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 17.6% for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 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 areas projected to 2050 in Malawi peaked at 17.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Malawi 232nd out of 238 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.3% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.4% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 0.4% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 0.5% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 0.5% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 0.6% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 0.6% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 0.7% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 0.7% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 0.8% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 0.9% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 1.0% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 1.0% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 1.1% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 1.3% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 1.4% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 1.5% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 1.7% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 1.8% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 2.0% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 2.2% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 2.4% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 2.6% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 2.9% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 3.1% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 3.5% | +13.1% |
| 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)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1800s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1810s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1830s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1840s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1860s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 1870s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1880s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 1890s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1900s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1910s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 1920s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 1930s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 1 |
| 1940s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 1 |
| 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 areas projected to 2050 in Malawi?
- Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Malawi was 17.6% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); 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 areas projected to 2050 recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 17.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Malawi rank for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050?
- Malawi ranks 232nd out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); 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 areas projected to 2050. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.