Rural population, annual growth rate in Malawi
Malawi: Rural population, annual growth rate was 2.19 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population, annual growth rate in Malawi, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population, annual growth rate in Malawi stood at 2.19 % change on previous year.
That represents a change of down 2.7% on the previous year and down 19.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, annual growth rate in Malawi peaked at 5.21 % change on previous year in 1988 and was at its lowest, -1.61 % change on previous year, in 1994.
Malawi ranks 16th of 208 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Rural population, annual growth rate in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.31 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 2.34 % change on previous year | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 2.36 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 1964 | 2.36 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 2.35 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 2.36 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 2.33 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 1968 | 2.26 % change on previous year | -3.3% |
| 1969 | 2.17 % change on previous year | -3.8% |
| 1970 | 2.11 % change on previous year | -2.7% |
| 1971 | 2.11 % change on previous year | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 2.14 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 2.2 % change on previous year | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 2.29 % change on previous year | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 2.4 % change on previous year | +5.0% |
| 1976 | 2.55 % change on previous year | +6.1% |
| 1977 | 2.81 % change on previous year | +10.0% |
| 1978 | 3.18 % change on previous year | +13.3% |
| 1979 | 3.5 % change on previous year | +9.9% |
| 1980 | 3.68 % change on previous year | +5.3% |
| 1981 | 3.77 % change on previous year | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 3.8 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 3.8 % change on previous year | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 3.75 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 3.68 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 3.49 % change on previous year | -5.1% |
| 1987 | 4.6 % change on previous year | +31.8% |
| 1988 | 5.21 % change on previous year | +13.2% |
| 1989 | 4.43 % change on previous year | -14.9% |
| 1990 | 3.58 % change on previous year | -19.2% |
| 1991 | 2.65 % change on previous year | -26.0% |
| 1992 | 2.47 % change on previous year | -7.0% |
| 1993 | 0.9872 % change on previous year | -60.0% |
| 1994 | -1.61 % change on previous year | -263.3% |
| 1995 | -0.5714 % change on previous year | -64.6% |
| 1996 | 1.61 % change on previous year | -381.1% |
| 1997 | 1.71 % change on previous year | +6.4% |
| 1998 | 1.96 % change on previous year | +14.4% |
| 1999 | 2.2 % change on previous year | +12.4% |
| 2000 | 2.29 % change on previous year | +4.0% |
| 2001 | 2.32 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 2.37 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 2.43 % change on previous year | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 2.53 % change on previous year | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 2.63 % change on previous year | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 2.71 % change on previous year | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 2.77 % change on previous year | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 2.85 % change on previous year | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 2.91 % change on previous year | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 2.9 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 2.87 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 2.82 % change on previous year | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 2.79 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 2.76 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 2.71 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 2.68 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 2.67 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 2.64 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 2.54 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 2.48 % change on previous year | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 2.39 % change on previous year | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 2.32 % change on previous year | -2.9% |
| 2023 | 2.28 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 2.25 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 2025 | 2.19 % change on previous year | -2.7% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 2.19 % change on previous year is above the median for low income countries, which is 1.93 % change on previous year, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 2.19 % change on previous year is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.21 % change on previous year, 1.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population, annual growth rate in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +381.1% | -0.5714 % change on previous year | 1.61 % change on previous year |
| 1994 | -263.3% | 0.9872 % change on previous year | -1.61 % change on previous year |
| 1995 | +64.6% | -1.61 % change on previous year | -0.5714 % change on previous year |
| 1993 | -60.0% | 2.47 % change on previous year | 0.9872 % change on previous year |
| 1987 | +31.8% | 3.49 % change on previous year | 4.6 % change on previous year |
| 1991 | -26.0% | 3.58 % change on previous year | 2.65 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.32 % change on previous year | 2.17 % change on previous year | 2.36 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.53 % change on previous year | 2.11 % change on previous year | 3.5 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.02 % change on previous year | 3.49 % change on previous year | 5.21 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.5 % change on previous year | -1.61 % change on previous year | 3.58 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.58 % change on previous year | 2.29 % change on previous year | 2.91 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.74 % change on previous year | 2.54 % change on previous year | 2.9 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.32 % change on previous year | 2.19 % change on previous year | 2.48 % change on previous year | 6 |
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, 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)
- Rural population 82.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, annual growth rate in Malawi?
- Rural population, annual growth rate in Malawi was 2.19 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 5.21 % change on previous year in 1988.
- What is the lowest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.61 % change on previous year in 1994.
- How does Malawi rank for rural population, annual growth rate?
- Malawi ranks 16th out of 208 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.