Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Malawi
Malawi: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP was 49.2% in 2014. ▲ Rising
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Malawi, 1960–2014
Source: Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Malawi is 49.2%, measured in 2014.
The figure is down 4.6% on the previous year and up 83.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Malawi peaked at 51.5% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 19.9%, in 2002.
That places Malawi 68th out of 193 countries with data for 2014, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 30.3% | — |
| 1961 | 29.1% | -4.1% |
| 1962 | 28.0% | -3.7% |
| 1963 | 25.7% | -8.1% |
| 1964 | 23.3% | -9.4% |
| 1965 | 26.3% | +12.6% |
| 1966 | 32.4% | +23.1% |
| 1967 | 32.1% | -0.8% |
| 1968 | 31.5% | -1.7% |
| 1969 | 30.5% | -3.2% |
| 1970 | 32.4% | +6.2% |
| 1971 | 29.8% | -8.0% |
| 1972 | 31.9% | +7.0% |
| 1973 | 32.2% | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 34.2% | +6.3% |
| 1975 | 40.8% | +19.1% |
| 1976 | 30.7% | -24.7% |
| 1977 | 29.1% | -5.1% |
| 1978 | 35.7% | +22.6% |
| 1979 | 37.7% | +5.7% |
| 1980 | 35.5% | -6.0% |
| 1981 | 28.1% | -20.7% |
| 1982 | 24.6% | -12.3% |
| 1983 | 25.5% | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 22.4% | -12.3% |
| 1985 | 24.9% | +11.0% |
| 1986 | 20.9% | -16.1% |
| 1987 | 25.2% | +20.8% |
| 1988 | 33.3% | +32.3% |
| 1989 | 35.2% | +5.8% |
| 1990 | 33.3% | -5.5% |
| 1991 | 28.0% | -15.8% |
| 1992 | 40.3% | +43.5% |
| 1993 | 24.6% | -38.8% |
| 1994 | 49.7% | +101.9% |
| 1995 | 36.3% | -26.9% |
| 1996 | 25.0% | -31.2% |
| 1997 | 23.0% | -8.2% |
| 1998 | 31.8% | +38.4% |
| 1999 | 35.4% | +11.4% |
| 2000 | 31.8% | -10.0% |
| 2001 | 32.8% | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 19.9% | -39.4% |
| 2003 | 24.5% | +23.2% |
| 2004 | 26.8% | +9.5% |
| 2005 | 31.9% | +18.8% |
| 2006 | 30.2% | -5.3% |
| 2007 | 31.1% | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 41.4% | +33.2% |
| 2009 | 32.7% | -21.2% |
| 2010 | 31.2% | -4.4% |
| 2011 | 30.3% | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 39.1% | +29.1% |
| 2013 | 51.5% | +31.7% |
| 2014 | 49.2% | -4.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 49.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 29.9%, 1.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 49.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.7%, 1.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Value of imported goods as a share of GDP 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +101.9% | 24.6% | 49.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 28.9% | 23.3% | 32.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 33.5% | 29.1% | 40.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.6% | 20.9% | 35.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.7% | 23.0% | 49.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.3% | 19.9% | 41.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.3% | 30.3% | 51.5% | 5 |
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 value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Malawi?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Malawi was 49.2% in 2014, according to Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 51.5% in 2013.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.9% in 2002.
- How does Malawi rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- Malawi ranks 68th out of 193 countries with data for 2014.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 83.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Value of imported goods as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimates correspond to merchandise import-to-GDP ratios for countries and regions. All ratios are taken at current prices. See source for more details.