Gross domestic product (GDP) in Malawi
Malawi: Gross domestic product (GDP) was 36.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
36.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
139th
of 198 countries
All-time high
36.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2025
All-time low
9.92 billion international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1994
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Gross domestic product (GDP) in Malawi, 1990–2025
Source: Eurostat, OECD, IMF, and World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
In 2025, gross domestic product (gdp) in Malawi stood at 36.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 32.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross domestic product (gdp) in Malawi peaked at 36.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2025 and was at its lowest, 9.92 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1994.
Malawi ranks 139th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Gross domestic product (GDP) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 10.00 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1991 | 10.87 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.7% |
| 1992 | 10.07 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -7.3% |
| 1993 | 11.05 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +9.7% |
| 1994 | 9.92 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -10.2% |
| 1995 | 11.58 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +16.7% |
| 1996 | 12.43 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.3% |
| 1997 | 12.90 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 13.40 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.9% |
| 1999 | 13.81 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 14.02 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 13.33 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -5.0% |
| 2002 | 13.55 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 14.33 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 15.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 15.60 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 16.33 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 17.90 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +9.6% |
| 2008 | 19.27 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.6% |
| 2009 | 20.87 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.3% |
| 2010 | 22.30 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.9% |
| 2011 | 23.40 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.9% |
| 2012 | 23.85 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 25.14 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.4% |
| 2014 | 26.55 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.6% |
| 2015 | 27.30 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 27.98 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 29.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.0% |
| 2018 | 30.37 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 32.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.7% |
| 2020 | 32.36 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 33.83 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 34.14 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 34.81 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 35.39 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.7% |
| 2025 | 36.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.9% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 36.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for low income countries, which is 51.94 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, 69% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 36.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 51.77 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, 70% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.60 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 9.92 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 13.81 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.03 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 13.33 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 20.87 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.81 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 22.30 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 32.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.43 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 32.36 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 36.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 136 Congo 40.17 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 137 Malta 36.90 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 138 Brunei 36.83 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 140 Mauritius 35.78 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 141 Mauritania 34.86 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 142 Jamaica 32.22 billion international-$ in 2021 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)
- 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$), annual growth rate -29.8 % change on previous year (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross domestic product (gdp) in Malawi?
- Gross domestic product (gdp) in Malawi was 36.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2025, according to Eurostat, OECD, IMF, and World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gross domestic product (gdp) recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 36.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2025.
- What is the lowest gross domestic product (gdp) recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.92 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 1994.
- How does Malawi rank for gross domestic product (gdp)?
- Malawi ranks 139th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gross domestic product (gdp) rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, OECD, IMF, and World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gross domestic product (GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total economic output of a country or region per year. This data is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.