What is the population of Malawi in 2026?
Malawi has a population of 22,216,120 people (2025 estimate), which is 61st in the world and about 0.27% of the global total.
Officially Republic of Malawi
Population 2025
22,216,120
0.27% of world population
World Bank, 2025Annual Growth
+2.56%
+568,066 people a year
World Bank, 2025Density
224/km²
94,280 km² land area
World Bank, 2023Median Age
18.1 years
Life expectancy 67.6 years
Our World in Data, 2025About Malawi
With a population of 22.2 million and a median age of 18.1 years, Malawi is a demographically young country experiencing rapid growth at 2.6% annually. The nation ranks 61st globally in population and covers 94,280 km², yielding a density of 224 people per km². Only 18% of residents live in urban areas, reflecting predominantly rural settlement patterns across the country.
Since independence in 1964, Malawi has shared borders with Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. The official languages are English and Chewa. Life expectancy stands at 67.6 years, while the fertility rate of 3.6 births per woman underpins the country's continuing population expansion. The economy remains modest, with GDP per capita at $672, and the currency is the Malawian kwacha.
This summary is AI-generated from the indicators on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Country Facts
- Capital
- Lilongwe
- Continent
- Africa
- ISO codes
- MW · MWI
- Demonym
- Malawian
- Currency
- Malawian kwacha (MWK MK)
- State inception
- 1964
- Time zone
- UTC+02:00
- Driving side
- Left
- Calling code
- +265
- Internet TLD
- .mw
- Land neighbours
- 3
Languages
- English
- Chewa
Demographics
Economy
Health
Education
Environment
Infrastructure
Quality of Life
Geography
Military
Age & Gender Distribution
Population by five-year age band, UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Male Female
- Age 0–14
- 40.7%
- Age 15–64
- 56.7%
- Age 65+
- 2.6%
| Age band | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 100+ | 53 | 203 |
| 95-99 | 403 | 1,281 |
| 90-94 | 2,217 | 5,760 |
| 85-89 | 8,540 | 18,076 |
| 80-84 | 22,386 | 39,846 |
| 75-79 | 42,233 | 66,079 |
| 70-74 | 61,459 | 82,380 |
| 65-69 | 92,924 | 116,194 |
| 60-64 | 130,254 | 176,041 |
| 55-59 | 172,250 | 230,625 |
| 50-54 | 253,216 | 269,019 |
| 45-49 | 382,755 | 374,408 |
| 40-44 | 506,996 | 564,553 |
| 35-39 | 583,797 | 688,203 |
| 30-34 | 708,727 | 781,788 |
| 25-29 | 867,533 | 899,693 |
| 20-24 | 1,048,561 | 1,070,910 |
| 15-19 | 1,274,895 | 1,296,125 |
| 10-14 | 1,395,700 | 1,405,703 |
| 5-9 | 1,443,018 | 1,440,789 |
| 0-4 | 1,569,128 | 1,560,565 |
Population History & Projection (1950–2100)
Observed population to 2024, then the UN medium-variant projection.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 2,950,300 |
| 1960 | 3,628,134 |
| 1970 | 4,633,944 |
| 1980 | 6,265,529 |
| 1990 | 9,545,852 |
| 2000 | 11,315,942 |
| 2010 | 14,826,463 |
| 2020 | 19,533,888 |
| 2030 | 25,160,287 |
| 2040 | 31,302,098 |
| 2050 | 37,361,683 |
| 2060 | 43,228,183 |
| 2070 | 48,410,340 |
| 2080 | 52,893,308 |
| 2090 | 56,481,188 |
| 2100 | 59,141,258 |
How Malawi Compares
Population against the ten most populous countries.
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| India | 1.46B |
| China | 1.41B |
| United States | 341.8M |
| Indonesia | 285.7M |
| Pakistan | 255.2M |
| Nigeria | 237.5M |
| Brazil | 212.8M |
| Bangladesh | 175.7M |
| Russia | 143.5M |
| Ethiopia | 135.5M |
| Malawi | 22.2M |
Countries Bordering Malawi
3 land borders.
- Mozambique35.6M · +2.85%
- Tanzania70.5M · +2.86%
- Zambia21.9M · +2.77%
Malawi Population FAQ
Is the population of Malawi growing or shrinking?
Malawi's population is growing at +2.56% per year, a change of roughly 568,066 people annually.
What is the capital of Malawi?
The capital of Malawi is Lilongwe.
How densely populated is Malawi?
Malawi has 224/km² across 94,280 km² of land area.
What is life expectancy in Malawi?
Life expectancy at birth in Malawi is 67.6 years (2024).
What is the median age in Malawi?
The median age in Malawi is 18.1 years, meaning half the population is younger than that and half older.
Which continent is Malawi in?
Malawi is in Africa.