Number of cattle in Malawi
Malawi: Number of cattle was 2.31 million animals in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
2.31 million animals
Change on year
up 5.5%
World rank
82nd
of 197 countries
All-time high
2.31 million animals
in 2024
All-time low
374,762 animals
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Number of cattle in Malawi, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in animals.
Analysis
In 2024, number of cattle in Malawi stood at 2.31 million animals. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.5% on the previous year and up 75.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of cattle in Malawi peaked at 2.31 million animals in 2024 and was at its lowest, 374,762 animals, in 1961.
That places Malawi 82nd out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Number of cattle in Malawi, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 374,762 animals | — |
| 1962 | 380,387 animals | +1.5% |
| 1963 | 396,145 animals | +4.1% |
| 1964 | 411,400 animals | +3.9% |
| 1965 | 432,293 animals | +5.1% |
| 1966 | 432,293 animals | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 450,128 animals | +4.1% |
| 1968 | 464,006 animals | +3.1% |
| 1969 | 479,916 animals | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 491,459 animals | +2.4% |
| 1971 | 491,517 animals | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 540,865 animals | +10.0% |
| 1973 | 572,905 animals | +5.9% |
| 1974 | 625,987 animals | +9.3% |
| 1975 | 648,533 animals | +3.6% |
| 1976 | 700,471 animals | +8.0% |
| 1977 | 718,544 animals | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 744,074 animals | +3.6% |
| 1979 | 789,533 animals | +6.1% |
| 1980 | 789,529 animals | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 870,576 animals | +10.3% |
| 1982 | 887,032 animals | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 907,959 animals | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 948,519 animals | +4.5% |
| 1985 | 1.02 million animals | +7.5% |
| 1986 | 1.01 million animals | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 1.06 million animals | +4.4% |
| 1988 | 859,505 animals | -18.5% |
| 1989 | 850,000 animals | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 838,552 animals | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 807,613 animals | -3.7% |
| 1992 | 813,576 animals | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 796,728 animals | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 748,891 animals | -6.0% |
| 1995 | 745,830 animals | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 700,096 animals | -6.1% |
| 1997 | 598,175 animals | -14.6% |
| 1998 | 715,391 animals | +19.6% |
| 1999 | 711,675 animals | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 763,724 animals | +7.3% |
| 2001 | 749,029 animals | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 753,075 animals | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 781,747 animals | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 765,000 animals | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 777,846 animals | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 799,017 animals | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 870,622 animals | +9.0% |
| 2008 | 947,498 animals | +8.8% |
| 2009 | 982,921 animals | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 1.07 million animals | +8.8% |
| 2011 | 1.11 million animals | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 1.16 million animals | +4.9% |
| 2013 | 1.24 million animals | +6.6% |
| 2014 | 1.32 million animals | +6.0% |
| 2015 | 1.40 million animals | +6.2% |
| 2016 | 1.47 million animals | +5.2% |
| 2017 | 1.51 million animals | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 1.66 million animals | +9.8% |
| 2019 | 1.87 million animals | +12.8% |
| 2020 | 1.95 million animals | +4.2% |
| 2021 | 1.96 million animals | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 2.05 million animals | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 2.19 million animals | +6.5% |
| 2024 | 2.31 million animals | +5.5% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 2.31 million animals is below the median for low income countries, which is 2.47 million animals, 94% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 2.31 million animals is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.41 million animals, 96% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 424,592 animals | 374,762 animals | 479,916 animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 632,389 animals | 491,459 animals | 789,533 animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 919,892 animals | 789,529 animals | 1.06 million animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 747,653 animals | 598,175 animals | 838,552 animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 819,048 animals | 749,029 animals | 982,921 animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.38 million animals | 1.07 million animals | 1.87 million animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.09 million animals | 1.95 million animals | 2.31 million animals | 5 |
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 number of cattle in Malawi?
- Number of cattle in Malawi was 2.31 million animals in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of cattle recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 2.31 million animals in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of cattle recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 374,762 animals in 1961.
- How does Malawi rank for number of cattle?
- Malawi ranks 82nd out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of cattle rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 75.3%. 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 Number of cattle. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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