Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Malawi
Malawi: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita 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 areas vs. GDP per capita 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
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Malawi is 17.6%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it 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 vs. gdp per capita in Malawi peaked at 17.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 1950.
Malawi ranks 230th of 236 countries on this measure, 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 areas vs. GDP per capita 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
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.3622 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4293 % change on previous year (2100)
- 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)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2289 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.45 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Malawi?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita 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 areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 17.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 1950.
- How does Malawi rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Malawi ranks 230th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita 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 areas vs. GDP per capita. 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.