Goods imports (BoP, current US$) in Malawi
Malawi: Goods imports (BoP, current US$) was 3.47 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
3.47 billion BoP, current US$
Change on year
up 14.8%
World rank
146th
of 200 countries
All-time high
3.47 billion BoP, current US$
in 2025
All-time low
154.10 million BoP, current US$
in 1986
Years of data
49
1977–2025
Goods imports in Malawi, 1977–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, goods imports in Malawi stood at 3.47 billion BoP, current US$. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 14.8% on the previous year and up 56.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, goods imports in Malawi peaked at 3.47 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 154.10 million BoP, current US$, in 1986.
That places Malawi 146th out of 200 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Goods imports (BoP, current US$) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 182.96 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1978 | 263.94 million BoP, current US$ | +44.3% |
| 1979 | 317.55 million BoP, current US$ | +20.3% |
| 1980 | 307.97 million BoP, current US$ | -3.0% |
| 1981 | 244.28 million BoP, current US$ | -20.7% |
| 1982 | 214.02 million BoP, current US$ | -12.4% |
| 1983 | 216.21 million BoP, current US$ | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 162.02 million BoP, current US$ | -25.1% |
| 1985 | 176.66 million BoP, current US$ | +9.0% |
| 1986 | 154.10 million BoP, current US$ | -12.8% |
| 1987 | 177.61 million BoP, current US$ | +15.3% |
| 1988 | 253.03 million BoP, current US$ | +42.5% |
| 1989 | 204.78 million BoP, current US$ | -19.1% |
| 1990 | 280.30 million BoP, current US$ | +36.9% |
| 1991 | 415.83 million BoP, current US$ | +48.4% |
| 1992 | 414.96 million BoP, current US$ | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 340.24 million BoP, current US$ | -18.0% |
| 1994 | 483.14 million BoP, current US$ | +42.0% |
| 1995 | 508.77 million BoP, current US$ | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 587.55 million BoP, current US$ | +15.5% |
| 1997 | 698.66 million BoP, current US$ | +18.9% |
| 1998 | 500.59 million BoP, current US$ | -28.3% |
| 1999 | 575.01 million BoP, current US$ | +14.9% |
| 2000 | 461.97 million BoP, current US$ | -19.7% |
| 2001 | 472.21 million BoP, current US$ | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 573.24 million BoP, current US$ | +21.4% |
| 2003 | 764.40 million BoP, current US$ | +33.3% |
| 2004 | 906.30 million BoP, current US$ | +18.6% |
| 2005 | 1.15 billion BoP, current US$ | +26.9% |
| 2006 | 1.16 billion BoP, current US$ | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 1.39 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.4% |
| 2008 | 1.82 billion BoP, current US$ | +31.3% |
| 2009 | 2.01 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.4% |
| 2010 | 2.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.6% |
| 2011 | 2.63 billion BoP, current US$ | +9.6% |
| 2012 | 2.33 billion BoP, current US$ | -11.6% |
| 2013 | 2.71 billion BoP, current US$ | +16.6% |
| 2014 | 2.75 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 2.22 billion BoP, current US$ | -19.1% |
| 2016 | 2.16 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 2.49 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.3% |
| 2018 | 2.60 billion BoP, current US$ | +4.7% |
| 2019 | 2.81 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.8% |
| 2020 | 2.79 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 3.17 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.9% |
| 2022 | 2.87 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.7% |
| 2023 | 3.00 billion BoP, current US$ | +4.5% |
| 2024 | 3.02 billion BoP, current US$ | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 3.47 billion BoP, current US$ | +14.8% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 3.47 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.52 billion BoP, current US$, 77% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 3.47 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.65 billion BoP, current US$, 75% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 254.82 million BoP, current US$ | 182.96 million BoP, current US$ | 317.55 million BoP, current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | 211.07 million BoP, current US$ | 154.10 million BoP, current US$ | 307.97 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 480.50 million BoP, current US$ | 280.30 million BoP, current US$ | 698.66 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.07 billion BoP, current US$ | 461.97 million BoP, current US$ | 2.01 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.51 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.16 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.81 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.05 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.79 billion BoP, current US$ | 3.47 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More economy & growth data for Malawi
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -14.03 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -12.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 0.0151 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -16.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 0.0111 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is goods imports in Malawi?
- Goods imports in Malawi was 3.47 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest goods imports recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 3.47 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest goods imports recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 154.10 million BoP, current US$ in 1986.
- How does Malawi rank for goods imports?
- Malawi ranks 146th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is goods imports rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.3%. 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 Goods imports (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Imports of goods occur when there are changes in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. 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.