Share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports in Malawi
Malawi: Share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports was 8.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports in Malawi, 1966–2024
Source: UN Comtrade, WITS, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 8.0% for share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports in 2024.
The figure is down 5.0% on the previous year and down 54.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports in Malawi peaked at 17.7% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 1966.
Malawi ranks 153rd 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.
Share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 1.2% | — |
| 1967 | 1.2% | +4.5% |
| 1968 | 2.1% | +73.7% |
| 1969 | 2.9% | +34.4% |
| 1970 | 3.2% | +10.8% |
| 1971 | 2.2% | -29.3% |
| 1972 | 2.1% | -5.4% |
| 1973 | 2.7% | +29.1% |
| 1974 | 4.4% | +60.7% |
| 1975 | 4.7% | +7.7% |
| 1976 | 3.4% | -29.0% |
| 1977 | 3.6% | +7.7% |
| 1978 | 3.8% | +5.1% |
| 1979 | 3.7% | -3.6% |
| 1980 | 6.4% | +74.1% |
| 1981 | 7.6% | +19.6% |
| 1982 | 5.4% | -29.1% |
| 1983 | 3.8% | -30.1% |
| 1984 | 2.7% | -29.2% |
| 1985 | 4.9% | +82.9% |
| 1986 | 4.2% | -14.2% |
| 1987 | 5.3% | +27.0% |
| 1990 | 5.1% | -4.4% |
| 1991 | 3.4% | -33.6% |
| 1994 | 11.0% | +224.6% |
| 1995 | 7.3% | -33.3% |
| 1996 | 8.7% | +18.0% |
| 1997 | 8.7% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 6.9% | -20.7% |
| 1999 | 8.7% | +26.2% |
| 2000 | 7.4% | -14.1% |
| 2001 | 10.2% | +37.0% |
| 2002 | 11.8% | +15.8% |
| 2003 | 11.5% | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 15.4% | +34.0% |
| 2005 | 16.4% | +6.6% |
| 2006 | 13.5% | -17.8% |
| 2007 | 10.5% | -22.1% |
| 2008 | 10.0% | -4.6% |
| 2009 | 8.6% | -14.8% |
| 2010 | 8.2% | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 10.2% | +24.4% |
| 2012 | 6.5% | -36.4% |
| 2013 | 8.0% | +22.4% |
| 2014 | 17.7% | +122.4% |
| 2015 | 14.5% | -18.0% |
| 2016 | 13.0% | -10.3% |
| 2017 | 6.8% | -47.8% |
| 2018 | 6.7% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 6.8% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 6.4% | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 7.9% | +23.2% |
| 2022 | 11.7% | +46.8% |
| 2023 | 8.5% | -27.4% |
| 2024 | 8.0% | -5.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 8.0% is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.9%, 1.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 8.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.5%, 84% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports 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 | +224.6% | 3.4% | 11.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.8% | 1.2% | 2.9% | 4 |
| 1970s | 3.4% | 2.1% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.0% | 2.7% | 7.6% | 8 |
| 1990s | 7.5% | 3.4% | 11.0% | 8 |
| 2000s | 11.5% | 7.4% | 16.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.9% | 6.5% | 17.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.5% | 6.4% | 11.7% | 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 share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports in Malawi?
- Share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports in Malawi was 8.0% in 2024, according to UN Comtrade, WITS, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 17.7% in 2014.
- What is the lowest share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 1966.
- How does Malawi rank for share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports?
- Malawi ranks 153rd out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UN Comtrade, WITS, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of manufactured products in total merchandise exports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Value of manufacture exports divided by the total value of merchandise exports, expressed as a percentage.