Personal remittances, paid (current US$) (IMF balance) in Malawi
Malawi: Personal remittances, paid (current US$) (IMF balance) was 27.60 million current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Personal remittances, paid in Malawi, 1978–2025
Source: IMF balance of payments data, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, personal remittances, paid in Malawi stood at 27.60 million current US$.
That represents a change of up 37.4% on the previous year and up 38.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances, paid in Malawi peaked at 36.84 million current US$ in 2020 and was at its lowest, 35,672 current US$, in 1991.
Malawi ranks 171st of 196 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Personal remittances, paid (current US$) (IMF balance) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 118,519 current US$ | — |
| 1979 | 122,417 current US$ | +3.3% |
| 1980 | 246,276 current US$ | +101.2% |
| 1981 | 223,389 current US$ | -9.3% |
| 1982 | 189,482 current US$ | -15.2% |
| 1983 | 85,124 current US$ | -55.1% |
| 1984 | 212,257 current US$ | +149.4% |
| 1985 | 116,340 current US$ | -45.2% |
| 1986 | 53,732 current US$ | -53.8% |
| 1987 | 45,275 current US$ | -15.7% |
| 1988 | 234,256 current US$ | +417.4% |
| 1989 | 398,619 current US$ | +70.2% |
| 1990 | 36,645 current US$ | -90.8% |
| 1991 | 35,672 current US$ | -2.7% |
| 1992 | 138,763 current US$ | +289.0% |
| 1993 | 136,278 current US$ | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 583,764 current US$ | +328.4% |
| 1995 | 804,777 current US$ | +37.9% |
| 1996 | 1.18 million current US$ | +46.1% |
| 1997 | 996,706 current US$ | -15.2% |
| 1998 | 1.41 million current US$ | +41.4% |
| 1999 | 821,082 current US$ | -41.7% |
| 2000 | 424,877 current US$ | -48.3% |
| 2001 | 623,015 current US$ | +46.6% |
| 2002 | 448,162 current US$ | -28.1% |
| 2003 | 6.98 million current US$ | +1456.7% |
| 2004 | 7.32 million current US$ | +4.9% |
| 2005 | 7.34 million current US$ | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 7.34 million current US$ | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 10.19 million current US$ | +38.8% |
| 2008 | 10.39 million current US$ | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 13.32 million current US$ | +28.2% |
| 2010 | 14.91 million current US$ | +11.9% |
| 2011 | 17.45 million current US$ | +17.1% |
| 2012 | 17.79 million current US$ | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 16.45 million current US$ | -7.5% |
| 2014 | 18.55 million current US$ | +12.8% |
| 2015 | 20.00 million current US$ | +7.8% |
| 2016 | 7.59 million current US$ | -62.0% |
| 2017 | 12.17 million current US$ | +60.3% |
| 2018 | 14.98 million current US$ | +23.0% |
| 2019 | 32.03 million current US$ | +113.8% |
| 2020 | 36.84 million current US$ | +15.0% |
| 2021 | 30.47 million current US$ | -17.3% |
| 2022 | 20.83 million current US$ | -31.6% |
| 2023 | 18.57 million current US$ | -10.9% |
| 2024 | 20.09 million current US$ | +8.2% |
| 2025 | 27.60 million current US$ | +37.4% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 27.60 million current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is 100.02 million current US$, 28% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 27.60 million current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 100.37 million current US$, 27% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Personal remittances, paid (current US$) (IMF balance) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +1456.7% | 448,162 current US$ | 6.98 million current US$ |
| 1988 | +417.4% | 45,275 current US$ | 234,256 current US$ |
| 1994 | +328.4% | 136,278 current US$ | 583,764 current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 120,468 current US$ | 118,519 current US$ | 122,417 current US$ | 2 |
| 1980s | 180,475 current US$ | 45,275 current US$ | 398,619 current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 613,846 current US$ | 35,672 current US$ | 1.41 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.44 million current US$ | 424,877 current US$ | 13.32 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.19 million current US$ | 7.59 million current US$ | 32.03 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.73 million current US$ | 18.57 million current US$ | 36.84 million current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 168 Tonga 29.72 million current US$ compare
- 169 Guatemala 29.45 million current US$ compare
- 170 North Macedonia 28.46 million current US$ compare
- 172 Central African Republic 27.38 million current US$ compare
- 173 Saint Kitts and Nevis 26.90 million current US$ compare
- 174 Nauru 26.18 million 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 personal remittances, paid in Malawi?
- Personal remittances, paid in Malawi was 27.60 million current US$ in 2025, according to IMF balance of payments data, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest personal remittances, paid recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 36.84 million current US$ in 2020.
- What is the lowest personal remittances, paid recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 35,672 current US$ in 1991.
- How does Malawi rank for personal remittances, paid?
- Malawi ranks 171st out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is personal remittances, paid rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from IMF balance of payments data, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Personal remittances, paid (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Personal remittances comprise personal transfers and compensation of employees. Personal transfers consist of all current transfers in cash or in kind made or received by resident households to or from nonresident households. Personal transfers thus include all current transfers between resident and nonresident individuals. Compensation of employees refers to the income of border, seasonal, and other short-term workers who are employed in an economy where they are not resident and of residents employed by nonresident entities. Data are the sum of two items defined in the sixth edition of the IMF's Balance of Payments Manual: personal transfers and compensation of employees. Data are in current U.S. dollars.