Annual GDP growth in Malawi

Malawi: Annual GDP growth was 1.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
1.7%
Change on year
down 14.0%
World rank
154th
of 196 countries
All-time high
13.8%
in 1995
All-time low
-10.3%
in 1994
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Annual GDP growth in Malawi, 1980–2024

-10-50510151980200220241980: 0.395 %1981: -5.2 %1982: 2.5 %1983: 3.7 %1984: 5.4 %1985: 4.6 %1986: -0.215 %1987: 1.6 %1988: 3.2 %1989: 1.3 %1990: 5.7 %1991: 8.7 %1992: -7.3 %1993: 9.7 %1994: -10.3 %1995: 13.8 %1996: 10 %1997: 6.6 %1998: 1.1 %1999: 3.5 %2000: 0.775 %2001: -4.1 %2002: 1.8 %2003: 5.7 %2004: 5.4 %2005: 3.3 %2006: 4.7 %2007: 9.6 %2008: 7.6 %2009: 8.3 %2010: 6.9 %2011: 4.9 %2012: 1.9 %2013: 5.2 %2014: 5.7 %2015: 3 %2016: 2.3 %2017: 4 %2018: 4.4 %2019: 5.4 %2020: 1 %2021: 4.6 %2022: 0.921 %2023: 1.9 %2024: 1.7 %

Source: International Monetary Fund (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2024, annual gdp growth in Malawi stood at 1.7%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 14.0% on the previous year and down 70.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, annual gdp growth in Malawi peaked at 13.8% in 1995 and was at its lowest, -10.3%, in 1994.

Malawi ranks 154th 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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 1.7% -5.2% 5.4% 10
1990s 4.1% -10.3% 13.8% 10
2000s 4.3% -4.1% 9.6% 10
2010s 4.4% 1.9% 6.9% 10
2020s 2.0% 0.9% 4.6% 5

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 151 Zimbabwe 1.7% compare
  2. 152 Tonga 1.7% compare
  3. 153 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.7% compare
  4. 155 Qatar 1.5% compare
  5. 156 Suriname 1.5% compare
  6. 157 Lesotho 1.4% compare

See the full ranking of 198 places →

More economy & growth data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is annual gdp growth in Malawi?
Annual gdp growth in Malawi was 1.7% in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest annual gdp growth recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 13.8% in 1995.
What is the lowest annual gdp growth recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was -10.3% in 1994.
How does Malawi rank for annual gdp growth?
Malawi ranks 154th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
Is annual gdp growth rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is down 70.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from International Monetary Fund (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual GDP growth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Annual GDP growth
Unit
%
Source
International Monetary Fund (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
198 places, 8,084 data points, 1980–2026
Last refreshed

Annual percent change in gross domestic product. This data is adjusted for inflation.