GDP per capita in Malawi
Malawi: GDP per capita was 797.12 international-$ in 1990 prices in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
797.12 international-$ in 1990 prices
World rank
154th
of 162 countries
All-time high
797.12 international-$ in 1990 prices
in 2020
All-time low
300 international-$ in 1990 prices
in 1870
Years of data
24
1870–2020
GDP per capita in Malawi, 1870–2020
Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 1990 prices.
Analysis
In 2020, gdp per capita in Malawi stood at 797.12 international-$ in 1990 prices. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of up 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp per capita in Malawi peaked at 797.12 international-$ in 1990 prices in 2020 and was at its lowest, 300 international-$ in 1990 prices, in 1870.
That places Malawi 154th out of 162 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
GDP per capita in Malawi, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 1990 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | — |
| 1880 | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 324.06 international-$ in 1990 prices | +8.0% |
| 1955 | 353.79 international-$ in 1990 prices | +9.2% |
| 1960 | 394.14 international-$ in 1990 prices | +11.4% |
| 1965 | 397.13 international-$ in 1990 prices | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 447.45 international-$ in 1990 prices | +12.7% |
| 1975 | 586.2 international-$ in 1990 prices | +31.0% |
| 1980 | 630.32 international-$ in 1990 prices | +7.5% |
| 1985 | 606.5 international-$ in 1990 prices | -3.8% |
| 1990 | 539.62 international-$ in 1990 prices | -11.0% |
| 1995 | 581 international-$ in 1990 prices | +7.7% |
| 2000 | 633 international-$ in 1990 prices | +9.0% |
| 2005 | 615 international-$ in 1990 prices | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 745 international-$ in 1990 prices | +21.1% |
| 2015 | 770 international-$ in 1990 prices | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 797.12 international-$ in 1990 prices | +3.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 1 |
| 1880s | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 1 |
| 1890s | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 1 |
| 1900s | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 1 |
| 1910s | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 1 |
| 1920s | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 2 |
| 1930s | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 300 international-$ in 1990 prices | 2 |
| 1950s | 338.92 international-$ in 1990 prices | 324.06 international-$ in 1990 prices | 353.79 international-$ in 1990 prices | 2 |
| 1960s | 395.64 international-$ in 1990 prices | 394.14 international-$ in 1990 prices | 397.13 international-$ in 1990 prices | 2 |
| 1970s | 516.83 international-$ in 1990 prices | 447.45 international-$ in 1990 prices | 586.2 international-$ in 1990 prices | 2 |
| 1980s | 618.41 international-$ in 1990 prices | 606.5 international-$ in 1990 prices | 630.32 international-$ in 1990 prices | 2 |
| 1990s | 560.31 international-$ in 1990 prices | 539.62 international-$ in 1990 prices | 581 international-$ in 1990 prices | 2 |
| 2000s | 624 international-$ in 1990 prices | 615 international-$ in 1990 prices | 633 international-$ in 1990 prices | 2 |
| 2010s | 757.5 international-$ in 1990 prices | 745 international-$ in 1990 prices | 770 international-$ in 1990 prices | 2 |
| 2020s | 797.12 international-$ in 1990 prices | 797.12 international-$ in 1990 prices | 797.12 international-$ in 1990 prices | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 151 Zimbabwe 857.43 international-$ in 1990 prices compare
- 152 Guinea-Bissau 834.41 international-$ in 1990 prices compare
- 153 Guinea 809.21 international-$ in 1990 prices compare
- 155 Togo 767.21 international-$ in 1990 prices compare
- 156 Haiti 747.64 international-$ in 1990 prices compare
- 157 Madagascar 636.9 international-$ in 1990 prices 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)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 42,016 constant LCU per person (2024)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 10.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 0.143 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 96.05 current US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), annual 11.27 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 250.44 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 168,173 current LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 2 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gdp per capita in Malawi?
- Gdp per capita in Malawi was 797.12 international-$ in 1990 prices in 2020, according to Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gdp per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 797.12 international-$ in 1990 prices in 2020.
- What is the lowest gdp per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 300 international-$ in 1990 prices in 1870.
- How does Malawi rank for gdp per capita?
- Malawi ranks 154th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is gdp per capita rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
GDP per capita expressed in international-$ at 1990 prices to account for inflation and differences in the cost of living between countries.