Annual growth of GDP per capita in Malawi
Malawi: Annual growth of GDP per capita was -0.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual growth of GDP per capita in Malawi, 1961–2025
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, annual growth of gdp per capita in Malawi stood at -0.7%.
That represents a change of up 24.7% on the previous year and down 8,766.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth of gdp per capita in Malawi peaked at 16.9% in 1995 and was at its lowest, -10.0%, in 1992.
That places Malawi 186th out of 212 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.
Annual growth of GDP per capita in Malawi, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 5.1% | — |
| 1962 | -1.7% | -133.9% |
| 1963 | -3.8% | +117.8% |
| 1964 | 0.2% | -104.6% |
| 1965 | 10.9% | +6112.1% |
| 1966 | 10.5% | -3.4% |
| 1967 | 4.7% | -55.6% |
| 1968 | -4.3% | -192.8% |
| 1969 | 3.3% | -176.4% |
| 1970 | -2.0% | -159.5% |
| 1971 | 13.3% | -778.9% |
| 1972 | 3.5% | -73.4% |
| 1973 | -0.3% | -109.7% |
| 1974 | 4.3% | -1345.9% |
| 1975 | 3.2% | -26.8% |
| 1976 | 2.0% | -37.0% |
| 1977 | 1.7% | -13.9% |
| 1978 | 6.1% | +254.0% |
| 1979 | 0.6% | -89.9% |
| 1980 | -3.4% | -654.9% |
| 1981 | -8.9% | +163.8% |
| 1982 | -1.5% | -83.6% |
| 1983 | -0.3% | -79.9% |
| 1984 | 1.3% | -549.2% |
| 1985 | 0.6% | -52.8% |
| 1986 | -3.8% | -713.7% |
| 1987 | -3.1% | -18.6% |
| 1988 | -2.2% | -27.9% |
| 1989 | -3.3% | +48.1% |
| 1990 | 1.6% | -148.1% |
| 1991 | 5.4% | +239.7% |
| 1992 | -10.0% | -283.9% |
| 1993 | 8.1% | -181.1% |
| 1994 | -9.2% | -213.4% |
| 1995 | 16.9% | -283.9% |
| 1996 | 5.2% | -69.1% |
| 1997 | 1.7% | -66.9% |
| 1998 | 1.7% | -3.3% |
| 1999 | 0.7% | -60.3% |
| 2000 | -0.8% | -225.0% |
| 2001 | -7.2% | +772.2% |
| 2002 | -0.8% | -89.5% |
| 2003 | 3.1% | -506.9% |
| 2004 | 2.7% | -11.8% |
| 2005 | 0.5% | -80.2% |
| 2006 | 1.9% | +243.6% |
| 2007 | 6.6% | +253.2% |
| 2008 | 4.6% | -30.4% |
| 2009 | 5.2% | +13.5% |
| 2010 | 3.8% | -27.1% |
| 2011 | 1.9% | -49.1% |
| 2012 | -1.0% | -151.3% |
| 2013 | 2.5% | -350.2% |
| 2014 | 2.7% | +9.9% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | -99.7% |
| 2016 | -0.3% | -3334.8% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | -576.4% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | +31.2% |
| 2019 | 3.0% | +84.1% |
| 2020 | -1.8% | -161.9% |
| 2021 | 1.9% | -202.9% |
| 2022 | -1.6% | -187.1% |
| 2023 | -0.6% | -60.8% |
| 2024 | -0.9% | +42.1% |
| 2025 | -0.7% | -24.7% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's -0.7% is below the median for low income countries, which is 2.2%. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's -0.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.5%. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual growth of GDP per capita 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | +6112.1% | 0.2% | 10.9% |
| 2016 | -3334.8% | 0.0% | -0.3% |
| 1974 | +1345.9% | -0.3% | 4.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.8% | -4.3% | 10.9% | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.2% | -2.0% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | -2.5% | -8.9% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.2% | -10.0% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.6% | -7.2% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | -1.0% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.6% | -1.8% | 1.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
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 annual growth of gdp per capita in Malawi?
- Annual growth of gdp per capita in Malawi was -0.7% in 2025, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth of gdp per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 16.9% in 1995.
- What is the lowest annual growth of gdp per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -10.0% in 1992.
- How does Malawi rank for annual growth of gdp per capita?
- Malawi ranks 186th out of 212 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth of gdp per capita rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8,766.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth of GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This data is adjusted for inflation.