Refugees
60,492refugees and others in need of protection hosted, 2025
2,330from it, abroad, 2025
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder2025
Country page · Updated 13 Nov 2026
Malawi
Malawi has 22 m people (World Bank, 2025) and an economy of $15 bn a year (World Bank, 2025). It imports all of the oil it uses (EIA, 2024).
Written automatically from the figures on this page.
- Population
- 22 m (2025)
Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:50m, which shows who controls an area in practice. Borders shown do not imply endorsement.
- GDPUS$14.9billion142nd of 186World Bank · 2025
- Population22million60th of 216World Bank · 2025
- GDP per personUS$672181st of 186World Bank · 2025
- Military, % GDP1.1% of GDP101st of 150World Bank · 2025
- CO2 per person0.1t209th of 213Global Carbon Budget · 2024
Dependencies at a glance
Malawi imports all of the oil it uses.
Imports mostImports someLow net tradeExporter
| Resource | Dependence | Position | Main partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | Imports most | Imports all of the oil it usesEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Mozambique, China, United Arab Emirates |
| Natural gas | Uses no gas, by this source PreliminaryEIA, 2024 | No partner data from the source | |
| Wheat | Imports most | Imports all of the wheat it uses EstimateFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Russia, Poland, Canada |
| Maize | Low net trade | Imports 2% of the maize it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Mozambique, Zambia, South Africa |
| Rice | Low net trade | Imports 4.4% of the rice it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | United States, Pakistan, India |
| Soybeans | Low net trade | Exports 3.4% of what it producesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Zambia, United States |
| Potash | Imports most | Imports all of its potash supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Germany, Russia, Jordan |
| Phosphate | Imports most | Imports all of its phosphate supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Saudi Arabia, Zambia, Russia |
| Arms | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: China, 76% of importsSIPRI, 2021–2025 | China, Canada, South Africa |
| Chips | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: South Africa, 40% of importsUN Comtrade, 2025 | South Africa, Kenya, United States |
Dependence is net imports: imports minus exports, as a share of what the country uses; for potash and phosphate, of its supply (production plus net imports). Arms and chips show supplier concentration only: the main supplier’s share of imports (arms: five-year totals of deliveries in SIPRI’s trend-indicator value, SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons).
- OilImports most
Imports all of the oil it uses
Main partners: Mozambique, China, United Arab Emirates
EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- Natural gas
Uses no gas, by this source Preliminary
Main partners: No partner data from the source
EIA, 2024
- WheatImports most
Imports all of the wheat it uses Estimate
Main partners: Russia, Poland, Canada
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- MaizeLow net trade
Imports 2% of the maize it uses
Main partners: Mozambique, Zambia, South Africa
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- RiceLow net trade
Imports 4.4% of the rice it uses
Main partners: United States, Pakistan, India
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- SoybeansLow net trade
Exports 3.4% of what it produces
Main partners: Zambia, United States
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- PotashImports most
Imports all of its potash supply Estimate
Main partners: Germany, Russia, Jordan
FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- PhosphateImports most
Imports all of its phosphate supply Estimate
Main partners: Saudi Arabia, Zambia, Russia
FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- ArmsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: China, 76% of imports
Main partners: China, Canada, South Africa
SIPRI, 2021–2025
- ChipsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: South Africa, 40% of imports
Main partners: South Africa, Kenya, United States
UN Comtrade, 2025
Source: EIA; FAOSTAT; SIPRI; UN Comtradeyear in each rowUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Dependencies toolMoney and reserves
Malawi’s economy produced $15 bn in 2025.
GDP, 2000–2025
Source: World Bank Indicators2000–2025Updated 13 Nov 2026
Economic growth1.9%2025 · 136th of 186 · World Bank
Inflation28.4%2025 · 5th of 169 · World Bank
Unemployment5.1%2025 · 93rd of 181 · World Bank
Trade42% of GDP2024 · 146th of 172 · World Bank
Foreign investment inUS$530million2025 · 118th of 200 · World Bank
People
Malawi had 22 m people in 2025.
Population, 1950–2100
Projection: UN projection, medium variant, after 2023Range between the UN low- and high-fertility scenarios
Source: UN World Population ProspectsUpdated 13 Nov 2026Projection
Malawi’s population by age
1950200020502100
Source: UN World Population Prospects1950–2100Updated 13 Nov 2026Projection
Births per woman3.652023 · 40th of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Median age17.62023 · 221st of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Aged 65 and over2.6%2025, Projection, medium variant · UN WPP 2024
Climate and hazards
Malawi emitted 1.9 Mt of CO2 from fossil fuels and cement in 2024.
Malawi’s CO2 emissions, million tonnes, 1990–2024
Source: Our World in Data CO21990–2024Updated 13 Nov 2026
CO2 emissions2Mt2024 · 157th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person0.1t2024 · 209th of 213 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 since 175058Mt2024 · 158th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
Water stress0.82023 · 117th of 164 · WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
More figures
Shown only where a source covers Malawi.
Sanctions
No entry on the US, EU or UK lists gives it as an address or nationality.
Counts entries (people, companies, ships and aircraft), not how strict the measures are.
Source: US CSL; EU sanctions list; UK Sanctions ListUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Chinese loans and grants
US$1.16billioncommitted by Chinese state lenders, 2000–2021
Source: AidData Chinese development finance2000–2021
Cyber incidents
1publicly known incidents affecting Malawi, 2000–2024
Counts compare documented incidents, not how often a country is targeted. Who they were attributed to
Source: EuRepoC Global Dataset of Cyber Incidents 1.3.2 (4 Mar 2025), CC BY-NC 4.02000–2024
All figures
50 measures on this site have a recent figure for Malawi.
| GDP | $15 bn | 2025 | 142nd of 186 | World Bank |
| GDP per person | $672 | 2025 | 181st of 186 | World Bank |
| Economic growth | 1.9% | 2025 | 136th of 186 | World Bank |
| Inflation | 28.4% | 2025 | 5th of 169 | World Bank |
| Government debt | 97% | 2025 | 27th of 191 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Government budget balance | −10.2% | 2025 | 184th of 195 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Current account balance | Estimate | 2025 | 177th of 194 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Unemployment | 5.1% | 2025 | 93rd of 181 | World Bank |
| Trade | 42% | 2024 | 146th of 172 | World Bank |
| Foreign investment in | $530 m | 2025 | 118th of 200 | World Bank |
| Remittances received | 2.0% | 2024 | 87th of 162 | World Bank |
| Population | 22 m | 2025 | 60th of 216 | World Bank |
| Population with UN projections | 21 m | 2023 | 62nd of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Births per woman | 3.65 | 2023 | 40th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Median age | 17.6 | 2023 | 221st of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Life expectancy | 67.4 | 2023 | 190th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Refugees from the country | 2,330 | 2025 | 111th of 206 | UNHCR |
| Refugees and others needing protection, by host | 60,492 | 2025 | 74th of 176 | UNHCR |
| Refugees hosted per 1,000 people | 2.7 | 2025 | 95th of 176 | UNHCR |
| Crude oil production | 0 kb/d | 2025 | 100th of 214 | EIA |
| Oil consumption | 11 kb/d | 2024 | 163rd of 212 | EIA |
| Natural gas production | Preliminary | 2024 | 97th of 213 | EIA |
| Natural gas consumption | 0.0 bcm | 2024 | 126th of 213 | EIA |
| Electricity generated | 2 TWh | 2024 | 144th of 193 | Ember |
| Low-carbon electricity | 96% | 2024 | 16th of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from coal | 0% | 2024 | 82nd of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from wind and solar | 0.5% | 2024 | 158th of 193 | Ember |
| Wheat production | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 119th of 123 | FAOSTAT |
| Wheat imports | 0.1 Mt | 2024 | 103rd of 180 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize production | 3.0 Mt | 2024 | 37th of 169 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize imports | 0.1 Mt | 2024 | 97th of 196 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice production | 0.1 Mt | 2024 | 74th of 135 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice imports | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 168th of 197 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean production | 0.3 Mt | 2024 | 19th of 108 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean imports | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 98th of 179 | FAOSTAT |
| Potash fertiliser use | 0.03 Mt | 2024 | 70th of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| Phosphate fertiliser use | 0.02 Mt | 2024 | 80th of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| CO2 emissions | 2 Mt | 2024 | 157th of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 per person | 0.1 t | 2024 | 209th of 213 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 emitted since 1750 | 58 Mt | 2024 | 158th of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Net CO2 imports through trade | 74% | 2023 | 13th of 120 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Water stress | 0.8 | 2023 | 117th of 164 | WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0) |
| Water from abroad | 7% | 2023 | 96th of 193 | FAO AQUASTAT |
| Military spending, share of GDP | 1.1% | 2025 | 101st of 150 | World Bank |
| Military spending | $163 m | 2025 | 126th of 150 | World Bank |
| Arms imports | 2 TIV m | 2024 | 112th of 117 | SIPRI |
| People using the internet | 19% | 2024 | 173rd of 182 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports | $116 m | 2024 | 101st of 162 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports, share of service exports | 25% | 2024 | 19th of 162 | World Bank |
| Chinese loans and grants committed | $97 m | 2021 | 42nd of 122 | AidData, Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset 3.0 |
Sources for this page
- World Bank IndicatorsGDP, GDP per person, Economic growth, Inflation, Unemployment, Trade, …
- IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026Debt, Budget balance, Current account
- UN World Population ProspectsPopulation (UN), Births per woman, Median age, Life expectancy
- UNHCR Refugee Data FinderRefugees from, Refugees hosted, Refugees per 1,000
- U.S. Energy Information AdministrationOil output, Oil use, Gas output, Gas use, Dependencies at a glance
- Ember electricity dataElectricity, Low-carbon electricity, Electricity from coal, Electricity from wind and solar
- FAOSTATWheat production, Wheat imports, Maize production, Maize imports, Rice production, Rice imports, …
- Our World in Data CO2CO2 emissions, CO2 per person, CO2 since 1750, Net CO2 imports through trade
- WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)Water stress
- FAO AQUASTATWater from abroad
- SIPRI Arms Transfers DatabaseArms imports, Dependencies at a glance
- AidData Chinese development financeChinese loans and grants
- UN ComtradeDependencies at a glance
- US Consolidated Screening ListSanctions
- EU financial sanctions listSanctions
- UK Sanctions ListSanctions
- EuRepoC cyber incidentsCyber incidents
Page last updated 13 Nov 2026How we measure