Cropland and pasture per person in Malawi
Malawi: Cropland and pasture per person was 0.1723 in 2010. ▼ Falling
Latest (2010)
0.1723
World rank
77th
of 178 countries
All-time high
0.4351
in 1900
All-time low
0.1647
in 1990
Years of data
22
1800–2010
Cropland and pasture per person in Malawi, 1800–2010
Source: Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2010, cropland and pasture per person in Malawi stood at 0.1723.
The figure is down 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cropland and pasture per person in Malawi peaked at 0.4351 in 1900 and was at its lowest, 0.1647, in 1990.
Malawi ranks 77th of 178 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Cropland and pasture per person in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 0.2391 | — |
| 1810 | 0.244 | +2.0% |
| 1820 | 0.2554 | +4.7% |
| 1830 | 0.2683 | +5.1% |
| 1840 | 0.2822 | +5.2% |
| 1850 | 0.297 | +5.2% |
| 1860 | 0.3109 | +4.7% |
| 1870 | 0.3397 | +9.3% |
| 1880 | 0.3717 | +9.4% |
| 1890 | 0.4072 | +9.6% |
| 1900 | 0.4351 | +6.9% |
| 1910 | 0.3817 | -12.3% |
| 1920 | 0.3672 | -3.8% |
| 1930 | 0.3452 | -6.0% |
| 1940 | 0.349 | +1.1% |
| 1950 | 0.2843 | -18.5% |
| 1960 | 0.2795 | -1.7% |
| 1970 | 0.2248 | -19.6% |
| 1980 | 0.2068 | -8.0% |
| 1990 | 0.1647 | -20.4% |
| 2000 | 0.1839 | +11.6% |
| 2010 | 0.1723 | -6.3% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 0.1723 is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.1608, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 0.1723 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.1682, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800s | 0.2391 | 0.2391 | 0.2391 | 1 |
| 1810s | 0.244 | 0.244 | 0.244 | 1 |
| 1820s | 0.2554 | 0.2554 | 0.2554 | 1 |
| 1830s | 0.2683 | 0.2683 | 0.2683 | 1 |
| 1840s | 0.2822 | 0.2822 | 0.2822 | 1 |
| 1850s | 0.297 | 0.297 | 0.297 | 1 |
| 1860s | 0.3109 | 0.3109 | 0.3109 | 1 |
| 1870s | 0.3397 | 0.3397 | 0.3397 | 1 |
| 1880s | 0.3717 | 0.3717 | 0.3717 | 1 |
| 1890s | 0.4072 | 0.4072 | 0.4072 | 1 |
| 1900s | 0.4351 | 0.4351 | 0.4351 | 1 |
| 1910s | 0.3817 | 0.3817 | 0.3817 | 1 |
| 1920s | 0.3672 | 0.3672 | 0.3672 | 1 |
| 1930s | 0.3452 | 0.3452 | 0.3452 | 1 |
| 1940s | 0.349 | 0.349 | 0.349 | 1 |
| 1950s | 0.2843 | 0.2843 | 0.2843 | 1 |
| 1960s | 0.2795 | 0.2795 | 0.2795 | 1 |
| 1970s | 0.2248 | 0.2248 | 0.2248 | 1 |
| 1980s | 0.2068 | 0.2068 | 0.2068 | 1 |
| 1990s | 0.1647 | 0.1647 | 0.1647 | 1 |
| 2000s | 0.1839 | 0.1839 | 0.1839 | 1 |
| 2010s | 0.1723 | 0.1723 | 0.1723 | 1 |
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 and pasture per person in Malawi?
- Cropland and pasture per person in Malawi was 0.1723 in 2010, according to Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cropland and pasture per person recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4351 in 1900.
- What is the lowest cropland and pasture per person recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1647 in 1990.
- How does Malawi rank for cropland and pasture per person?
- Malawi ranks 77th out of 178 countries with data for 2010.
- Is cropland and pasture per person rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Cropland and pasture per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Pasture – land used for livestock grazing – and cropland are measured in hectares per person. The sum of pasture and cropland is the total land used for agriculture.