Agricultural land use in Malawi
Malawi: Agricultural land use was 6.05 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
6.05 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
83rd
of 227 countries
All-time high
6.05 million hectares
in 2021
All-time low
3.20 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Agricultural land use in Malawi, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for agricultural land use in Malawi is 6.05 million hectares, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land use in Malawi peaked at 6.05 million hectares in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.20 million hectares, in 1961.
Malawi ranks 83rd of 227 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Agricultural land use in Malawi, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.20 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 3.30 million hectares | +3.1% |
| 1963 | 3.35 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 3.40 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1965 | 3.60 million hectares | +6.0% |
| 1966 | 3.65 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 3.60 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 1968 | 3.71 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 3.76 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 3.71 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 1971 | 3.86 million hectares | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 3.91 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 3.96 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 3.96 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 3.91 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 3.91 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 3.92 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 3.97 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 3.97 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 3.83 million hectares | -3.5% |
| 1981 | 3.93 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 4.03 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 3.94 million hectares | -2.2% |
| 1984 | 3.99 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 4.00 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 4.11 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 4.11 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 4.12 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 4.17 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 4.22 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 4.32 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 4.27 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 4.27 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 4.07 million hectares | -4.7% |
| 1995 | 4.28 million hectares | +5.2% |
| 1996 | 4.38 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 4.43 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 4.58 million hectares | +3.4% |
| 1999 | 4.68 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 4.73 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 4.83 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 4.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 4.98 million hectares | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 4.98 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 5.18 million hectares | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 5.29 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 5.29 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 5.43 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 5.49 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 5.49 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 5.49 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 5.49 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 5.54 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 5.65 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 5.71 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 5.76 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 5.82 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 5.87 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 5.93 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 5.98 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 6.05 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 6.05 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 6.05 million hectares | +0.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 6.05 million hectares is below the median for low income countries, which is 14.61 million hectares, 41% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 6.05 million hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.51 million hectares, 45% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.51 million hectares | 3.20 million hectares | 3.76 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.91 million hectares | 3.71 million hectares | 3.97 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.02 million hectares | 3.83 million hectares | 4.17 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.35 million hectares | 4.07 million hectares | 4.68 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.10 million hectares | 4.73 million hectares | 5.49 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.67 million hectares | 5.49 million hectares | 5.93 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.03 million hectares | 5.98 million hectares | 6.05 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More agriculture & rural data for Malawi
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 24.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3003 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 201.66 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.8241 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 30.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 30.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land use in Malawi?
- Agricultural land use in Malawi was 6.05 million hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest agricultural land use recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 6.05 million hectares in 2021.
- What is the lowest agricultural land use recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.20 million hectares in 1961.
- How does Malawi rank for agricultural land use?
- Malawi ranks 83rd out of 227 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land use rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Agricultural land use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Land used for cultivation of crops and animal husbandry. The total of areas under cropland and permanent meadows and pastures.