Taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of GDP in Malawi
Malawi: Taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of GDP was 7.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of GDP in Malawi, 1983–2023
Source: UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp in Malawi is 7.4%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.
The figure is up 16.6% on the previous year and up 59.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp in Malawi peaked at 7.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 1995.
That places Malawi 72nd out of 184 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.
Taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of GDP in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 2.3% | — |
| 1984 | 2.2% | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 2.5% | +9.7% |
| 1986 | 2.7% | +9.9% |
| 1987 | 2.5% | -6.5% |
| 1988 | 2.2% | -15.0% |
| 1989 | 2.7% | +25.9% |
| 1990 | 3.0% | +11.8% |
| 1991 | 2.5% | -18.9% |
| 1992 | 2.6% | +5.8% |
| 1993 | 1.9% | -26.7% |
| 1994 | 2.0% | +4.2% |
| 1995 | 1.4% | -27.9% |
| 1996 | 1.7% | +16.8% |
| 1997 | 2.3% | +37.4% |
| 1998 | 2.6% | +14.8% |
| 1999 | 2.5% | -4.7% |
| 2000 | 2.6% | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 2.9% | +11.4% |
| 2002 | 2.5% | -13.5% |
| 2003 | 2.8% | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | +7.7% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | +9.6% |
| 2006 | 3.3% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 4.2% | +27.5% |
| 2010 | 4.6% | +9.3% |
| 2011 | 4.7% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 4.3% | -8.5% |
| 2013 | 4.7% | +8.4% |
| 2014 | 5.1% | +8.9% |
| 2015 | 5.2% | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 5.3% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 5.9% | +12.1% |
| 2018 | 5.8% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 5.6% | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 5.7% | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 5.4% | -5.8% |
| 2022 | 6.4% | +17.4% |
| 2023 | 7.4% | +16.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 7.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.1%, 1.8× the median. (21 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 7.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.7%, 1.6× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.7% | 7 |
| 1990s | 2.3% | 1.4% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.1% | 2.5% | 4.2% | 8 |
| 2010s | 5.1% | 4.3% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.2% | 5.4% | 7.4% | 4 |
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 taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp in Malawi?
- Taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp in Malawi was 7.4% in 2023, according to UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 7.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 1995.
- How does Malawi rank for taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp?
- Malawi ranks 72nd out of 184 countries with data for 2023.
- Is taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 59.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Tax revenue on incomes, profits and capital gains divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.