Net trade in goods (BoP, current US$) in Malawi
Malawi: Net trade in goods (BoP, current US$) was -2.51 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-2.51 billion BoP, current US$
Change on year
down 25.8%
World rank
128th
of 200 countries
All-time high
149.78 million BoP, current US$
in 1984
All-time low
-2.51 billion BoP, current US$
in 2025
Years of data
49
1977–2025
Net trade in goods in Malawi, 1977–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for net trade in goods in Malawi is -2.51 billion BoP, current US$, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 49 years on record.
That represents a change of down 25.8% on the previous year and down 135.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net trade in goods in Malawi peaked at 149.78 million BoP, current US$ in 1984 and was at its lowest, -2.51 billion BoP, current US$, in 2025.
Malawi ranks 128th of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net trade in goods (BoP, current US$) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 16.83 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1978 | -79.41 million BoP, current US$ | -571.7% |
| 1979 | -95.12 million BoP, current US$ | +19.8% |
| 1980 | -27.21 million BoP, current US$ | -71.4% |
| 1981 | 28.26 million BoP, current US$ | -203.8% |
| 1982 | 25.67 million BoP, current US$ | -9.1% |
| 1983 | 29.96 million BoP, current US$ | +16.7% |
| 1984 | 149.78 million BoP, current US$ | +399.9% |
| 1985 | 68.82 million BoP, current US$ | -54.1% |
| 1986 | 94.30 million BoP, current US$ | +37.0% |
| 1987 | 99.97 million BoP, current US$ | +6.0% |
| 1988 | 40.45 million BoP, current US$ | -59.5% |
| 1989 | 64.00 million BoP, current US$ | +58.2% |
| 1990 | 126.13 million BoP, current US$ | +97.1% |
| 1991 | 59.68 million BoP, current US$ | -52.7% |
| 1992 | -15.04 million BoP, current US$ | -125.2% |
| 1993 | -22.78 million BoP, current US$ | +51.5% |
| 1994 | -160.09 million BoP, current US$ | +602.7% |
| 1995 | -63.30 million BoP, current US$ | -60.5% |
| 1996 | -77.92 million BoP, current US$ | +23.1% |
| 1997 | -158.41 million BoP, current US$ | +103.3% |
| 1998 | 38.96 million BoP, current US$ | -124.6% |
| 1999 | -126.57 million BoP, current US$ | -424.9% |
| 2000 | -58.84 million BoP, current US$ | -53.5% |
| 2001 | -44.30 million BoP, current US$ | -24.7% |
| 2002 | -150.79 million BoP, current US$ | +240.4% |
| 2003 | -196.86 million BoP, current US$ | +30.6% |
| 2004 | -388.78 million BoP, current US$ | +97.5% |
| 2005 | -608.60 million BoP, current US$ | +56.5% |
| 2006 | -439.64 million BoP, current US$ | -27.8% |
| 2007 | -582.12 million BoP, current US$ | +32.4% |
| 2008 | -868.51 million BoP, current US$ | +49.2% |
| 2009 | -739.97 million BoP, current US$ | -14.8% |
| 2010 | -1.26 billion BoP, current US$ | +70.3% |
| 2011 | -1.11 billion BoP, current US$ | -11.6% |
| 2012 | -1.05 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.7% |
| 2013 | -1.43 billion BoP, current US$ | +36.0% |
| 2014 | -1.21 billion BoP, current US$ | -15.1% |
| 2015 | -1.07 billion BoP, current US$ | -12.1% |
| 2016 | -1.09 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.2% |
| 2017 | -1.58 billion BoP, current US$ | +44.7% |
| 2018 | -1.66 billion BoP, current US$ | +5.2% |
| 2019 | -1.73 billion BoP, current US$ | +4.5% |
| 2020 | -1.92 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.7% |
| 2021 | -2.05 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.7% |
| 2022 | -1.88 billion BoP, current US$ | -8.4% |
| 2023 | -1.97 billion BoP, current US$ | +5.3% |
| 2024 | -2.00 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.2% |
| 2025 | -2.51 billion BoP, current US$ | +25.8% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's -2.51 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is -796.66 million BoP, current US$, 3.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's -2.51 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -496.51 million BoP, current US$, 5.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net trade in goods (BoP, current US$) 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 | -602.7% | -22.78 million BoP, current US$ | -160.09 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1978 | -571.7% | 16.83 million BoP, current US$ | -79.41 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1999 | -424.9% | 38.96 million BoP, current US$ | -126.57 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1984 | +399.9% | 29.96 million BoP, current US$ | 149.78 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -52.56 million BoP, current US$ | -95.12 million BoP, current US$ | 16.83 million BoP, current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | 57.40 million BoP, current US$ | -27.21 million BoP, current US$ | 149.78 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -39.93 million BoP, current US$ | -160.09 million BoP, current US$ | 126.13 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -407.84 million BoP, current US$ | -868.51 million BoP, current US$ | -44.30 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.32 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.73 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.05 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -2.06 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.51 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.88 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 125 Namibia -2.10 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 126 Hungary -2.28 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 127 Rwanda -2.34 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 129 Myanmar -2.85 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 130 Maldives -2.96 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 131 Malta -2.98 billion BoP, current US$ compare
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 net trade in goods in Malawi?
- Net trade in goods in Malawi was -2.51 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net trade in goods recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 149.78 million BoP, current US$ in 1984.
- What is the lowest net trade in goods recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.51 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025.
- How does Malawi rank for net trade in goods?
- Malawi ranks 128th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is net trade in goods rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 135.8%. 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 Net trade in goods (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
The balance of international trade in goods is the difference between the exports and imports of goods. 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.