Current account balance in Malawi
Malawi: Current account balance was -2.13 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Current account balance in Malawi, 1977–2024
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2024, current account balance in Malawi stood at -2.13 billion BoP, current US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 88.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current account balance in Malawi peaked at -4.38 million BoP, current US$ in 1998 and was at its lowest, -2.28 billion BoP, current US$, in 2022.
Malawi ranks 153rd of 200 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Current account balance in Malawi, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | -61.80 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1978 | -175.05 million BoP, current US$ | +183.3% |
| 1979 | -265.65 million BoP, current US$ | +51.8% |
| 1980 | -259.63 million BoP, current US$ | -2.3% |
| 1981 | -145.57 million BoP, current US$ | -43.9% |
| 1982 | -111.70 million BoP, current US$ | -23.3% |
| 1983 | -130.83 million BoP, current US$ | +17.1% |
| 1984 | -41.75 million BoP, current US$ | -68.1% |
| 1985 | -126.39 million BoP, current US$ | +202.8% |
| 1986 | -84.85 million BoP, current US$ | -32.9% |
| 1987 | -60.60 million BoP, current US$ | -28.6% |
| 1988 | -86.86 million BoP, current US$ | +43.3% |
| 1989 | -51.24 million BoP, current US$ | -41.0% |
| 1990 | -86.19 million BoP, current US$ | +68.2% |
| 1991 | -227.69 million BoP, current US$ | +164.2% |
| 1992 | -284.91 million BoP, current US$ | +25.1% |
| 1993 | -165.56 million BoP, current US$ | -41.9% |
| 1994 | -180.68 million BoP, current US$ | +9.1% |
| 1995 | -78.04 million BoP, current US$ | -56.8% |
| 1996 | -147.43 million BoP, current US$ | +88.9% |
| 1997 | -276.21 million BoP, current US$ | +87.4% |
| 1998 | -4.38 million BoP, current US$ | -98.4% |
| 1999 | -157.54 million BoP, current US$ | +3500.3% |
| 2000 | -73.50 million BoP, current US$ | -53.3% |
| 2001 | -59.95 million BoP, current US$ | -18.4% |
| 2002 | -200.69 million BoP, current US$ | +234.8% |
| 2003 | -248.98 million BoP, current US$ | +24.1% |
| 2004 | -378.99 million BoP, current US$ | +52.2% |
| 2005 | -506.71 million BoP, current US$ | +33.7% |
| 2006 | -306.57 million BoP, current US$ | -39.5% |
| 2007 | -418.03 million BoP, current US$ | +36.4% |
| 2008 | -693.39 million BoP, current US$ | +65.9% |
| 2009 | -543.63 million BoP, current US$ | -21.6% |
| 2010 | -969.29 million BoP, current US$ | +78.3% |
| 2011 | -1.14 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.3% |
| 2012 | -744.67 million BoP, current US$ | -34.5% |
| 2013 | -1.24 billion BoP, current US$ | +66.0% |
| 2014 | -1.13 billion BoP, current US$ | -8.7% |
| 2015 | -1.06 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.7% |
| 2016 | -1.01 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.5% |
| 2017 | -1.56 billion BoP, current US$ | +54.9% |
| 2018 | -1.71 billion BoP, current US$ | +9.4% |
| 2019 | -1.32 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.5% |
| 2020 | -1.64 billion BoP, current US$ | +24.0% |
| 2021 | -1.92 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.0% |
| 2022 | -2.28 billion BoP, current US$ | +18.9% |
| 2023 | -2.10 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.7% |
| 2024 | -2.13 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's -2.13 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is -984.26 million BoP, current US$, 2.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's -2.13 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -749.01 million BoP, current US$, 2.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Current account balance in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | -3500.3% | -4.38 million BoP, current US$ | -157.54 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -167.50 million BoP, current US$ | -265.65 million BoP, current US$ | -61.80 million BoP, current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | -109.94 million BoP, current US$ | -259.63 million BoP, current US$ | -41.75 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -160.86 million BoP, current US$ | -284.91 million BoP, current US$ | -4.38 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -343.04 million BoP, current US$ | -693.39 million BoP, current US$ | -59.95 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.19 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.71 billion BoP, current US$ | -744.67 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -2.01 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.28 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.64 billion BoP, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 150 Montenegro -1.88 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 151 Croatia -1.93 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 152 Armenia -2.11 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 154 Tanzania -2.38 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 155 Yemen -2.42 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 156 Suriname -2.48 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Malawi
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.07 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.6 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 56.42 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.005 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 2.61 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 257.97 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 20.57 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0228 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 11.91 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate -29.8 % change on previous year (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current account balance in Malawi?
- Current account balance in Malawi was -2.13 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest current account balance recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was -4.38 million BoP, current US$ in 1998.
- What is the lowest current account balance recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.28 billion BoP, current US$ in 2022.
- How does Malawi rank for current account balance?
- Malawi ranks 153rd out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is current account balance rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 88.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Current account balance (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Balance of current transactions (transactions in goods and services, earned income and transfer income) between residents and non-residents. The term current account balance is used in the external accounts and is expressed from the perspective of resident units. The term current external balance is used in the national accounts and is expressed from the perspective of the non-resident units, and therefore with the opposite sign. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.