Cropland area in Malawi
Malawi: Cropland area was 4.20 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
4.20 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
63rd
of 224 countries
All-time high
4.20 million hectares
in 2021
All-time low
1.36 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cropland area 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
Malawi recorded 4.20 million hectares for cropland area in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cropland area in Malawi peaked at 4.20 million hectares in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.36 million hectares, in 1961.
Malawi ranks 63rd of 224 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.
Cropland area in Malawi, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.36 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 1.46 million hectares | +7.4% |
| 1963 | 1.51 million hectares | +3.4% |
| 1964 | 1.56 million hectares | +3.3% |
| 1965 | 1.76 million hectares | +13.0% |
| 1966 | 1.81 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 1.76 million hectares | -2.6% |
| 1968 | 1.87 million hectares | +5.8% |
| 1969 | 1.92 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 1.87 million hectares | -2.6% |
| 1971 | 2.02 million hectares | +8.0% |
| 1972 | 2.07 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 2.12 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 2.12 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 2.07 million hectares | -2.4% |
| 1976 | 2.07 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 2.08 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 2.13 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 2.13 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 1.99 million hectares | -6.6% |
| 1981 | 2.09 million hectares | +5.0% |
| 1982 | 2.19 million hectares | +4.8% |
| 1983 | 2.10 million hectares | -4.1% |
| 1984 | 2.15 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 2.17 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 2.27 million hectares | +4.6% |
| 1987 | 2.27 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 2.27 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 2.33 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 2.38 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 2.48 million hectares | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 2.43 million hectares | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 2.43 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2.23 million hectares | -8.2% |
| 1995 | 2.43 million hectares | +9.0% |
| 1996 | 2.53 million hectares | +4.1% |
| 1997 | 2.58 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 2.73 million hectares | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 2.83 million hectares | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 2.88 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 2.98 million hectares | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 2.98 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3.13 million hectares | +5.0% |
| 2004 | 3.13 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 3.33 million hectares | +6.4% |
| 2006 | 3.44 million hectares | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 3.44 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 3.58 million hectares | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 3.63 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 3.63 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3.63 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3.63 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 3.69 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 3.80 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 3.86 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 3.91 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 3.97 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 4.02 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 4.08 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 4.13 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 4.20 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 4.20 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4.20 million hectares | +0.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 4.20 million hectares is above the median for low income countries, which is 3.60 million hectares, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 4.20 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.21 million hectares, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.67 million hectares | 1.36 million hectares | 1.92 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.07 million hectares | 1.87 million hectares | 2.13 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.18 million hectares | 1.99 million hectares | 2.33 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.50 million hectares | 2.23 million hectares | 2.83 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.25 million hectares | 2.88 million hectares | 3.63 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.82 million hectares | 3.63 million hectares | 4.08 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.18 million hectares | 4.13 million hectares | 4.20 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 cropland area in Malawi?
- Cropland area in Malawi was 4.20 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 cropland area recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 4.20 million hectares in 2021.
- What is the lowest cropland area recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.36 million hectares in 1961.
- How does Malawi rank for cropland area?
- Malawi ranks 63rd out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cropland area rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.7%. 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 Cropland area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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