Agricultural land use per person in Malawi
Malawi: Agricultural land use per person was 0.2688 hectares per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.2688 hectares per person
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
123rd
of 202 countries
All-time high
1.64 hectares per person
in 1700
All-time low
0.2688 hectares per person
in 2025
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Agricultural land use per person in Malawi, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares per person.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 0.2688 hectares per person for agricultural land use per person in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 17.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land use per person in Malawi peaked at 1.64 hectares per person in 1700 and was at its lowest, 0.2688 hectares per person, in 2025.
That places Malawi 123rd out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Agricultural land use per person in Malawi, year by year
| Year | hectares per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 1.64 hectares per person | — |
| 1100 | 1.64 hectares per person | +0.0% |
| 1200 | 1.64 hectares per person | +0.0% |
| 1300 | 1.64 hectares per person | +0.0% |
| 1400 | 1.64 hectares per person | +0.0% |
| 1500 | 1.64 hectares per person | +0.0% |
| 1600 | 1.64 hectares per person | +0.0% |
| 1700 | 1.64 hectares per person | +0.0% |
| 1710 | 1.64 hectares per person | +0.0% |
| 1720 | 1.64 hectares per person | +0.0% |
| 1730 | 1.64 hectares per person | +0.0% |
| 1740 | 1.64 hectares per person | +0.0% |
| 1750 | 1.64 hectares per person | +0.0% |
| 1760 | 1.59 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1770 | 1.54 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1780 | 1.49 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1790 | 1.45 hectares per person | -2.9% |
| 1800 | 1.41 hectares per person | -2.9% |
| 1810 | 1.37 hectares per person | -2.9% |
| 1820 | 1.33 hectares per person | -2.9% |
| 1830 | 1.29 hectares per person | -2.8% |
| 1840 | 1.25 hectares per person | -2.8% |
| 1850 | 1.22 hectares per person | -2.8% |
| 1860 | 1.18 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1870 | 1.15 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1880 | 1.12 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1890 | 1.09 hectares per person | -2.6% |
| 1900 | 1.06 hectares per person | -2.6% |
| 1910 | 1.04 hectares per person | -2.6% |
| 1920 | 1.01 hectares per person | -2.5% |
| 1930 | 0.9842 hectares per person | -2.5% |
| 1940 | 0.9598 hectares per person | -2.5% |
| 1950 | 0.9363 hectares per person | -2.4% |
| 1951 | 0.9495 hectares per person | +1.4% |
| 1952 | 0.938 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1953 | 0.9267 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1954 | 0.9156 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1955 | 0.9048 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1956 | 0.8942 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1957 | 0.8838 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1958 | 0.8735 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1959 | 0.8635 hectares per person | -1.1% |
| 1960 | 0.8537 hectares per person | -1.1% |
| 1961 | 0.8649 hectares per person | +1.3% |
| 1962 | 0.872 hectares per person | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 0.8652 hectares per person | -0.8% |
| 1964 | 0.8578 hectares per person | -0.8% |
| 1965 | 0.8877 hectares per person | +3.5% |
| 1966 | 0.8785 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 1967 | 0.8458 hectares per person | -3.7% |
| 1968 | 0.8482 hectares per person | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 0.8378 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 0.8052 hectares per person | -3.9% |
| 1971 | 0.8157 hectares per person | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 0.804 hectares per person | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 0.7919 hectares per person | -1.5% |
| 1974 | 0.7702 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1975 | 0.7387 hectares per person | -4.1% |
| 1976 | 0.7172 hectares per person | -2.9% |
| 1977 | 0.6957 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1978 | 0.6833 hectares per person | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 0.6632 hectares per person | -2.9% |
| 1980 | 0.6214 hectares per person | -6.3% |
| 1981 | 0.6211 hectares per person | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 0.6215 hectares per person | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 0.5915 hectares per person | -4.8% |
| 1984 | 0.5786 hectares per person | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 0.5554 hectares per person | -4.0% |
| 1986 | 0.5383 hectares per person | -3.1% |
| 1987 | 0.5062 hectares per person | -6.0% |
| 1988 | 0.4764 hectares per person | -5.9% |
| 1989 | 0.458 hectares per person | -3.9% |
| 1990 | 0.4469 hectares per person | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 0.4481 hectares per person | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 0.4389 hectares per person | -2.1% |
| 1993 | 0.4377 hectares per person | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 0.4154 hectares per person | -5.1% |
| 1995 | 0.4319 hectares per person | +4.0% |
| 1996 | 0.4332 hectares per person | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 0.4267 hectares per person | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 0.4278 hectares per person | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 0.4237 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 0.4158 hectares per person | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 0.413 hectares per person | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 0.402 hectares per person | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 0.4037 hectares per person | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 0.3929 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 0.3972 hectares per person | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 0.3935 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 0.3818 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 0.3808 hectares per person | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 0.3728 hectares per person | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 0.3681 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 0.3559 hectares per person | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 0.3444 hectares per person | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 0.3374 hectares per person | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 0.3334 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 0.3268 hectares per person | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 0.3206 hectares per person | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 0.3147 hectares per person | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 0.3092 hectares per person | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 0.3039 hectares per person | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 0.2989 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 0.2931 hectares per person | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 0.2846 hectares per person | -2.9% |
| 2023 | 0.2797 hectares per person | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 0.2741 hectares per person | -2.0% |
| 2025 | 0.2688 hectares per person | -1.9% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 0.2688 hectares per person is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.5776 hectares per person, 47% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 0.2688 hectares per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.5841 hectares per person, 46% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1100s | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1200s | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1300s | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1400s | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1500s | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1600s | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1710s | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1720s | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1730s | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1740s | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1750s | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1.64 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1760s | 1.59 hectares per person | 1.59 hectares per person | 1.59 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1770s | 1.54 hectares per person | 1.54 hectares per person | 1.54 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1780s | 1.49 hectares per person | 1.49 hectares per person | 1.49 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1790s | 1.45 hectares per person | 1.45 hectares per person | 1.45 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1800s | 1.41 hectares per person | 1.41 hectares per person | 1.41 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1810s | 1.37 hectares per person | 1.37 hectares per person | 1.37 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.33 hectares per person | 1.33 hectares per person | 1.33 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1830s | 1.29 hectares per person | 1.29 hectares per person | 1.29 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1840s | 1.25 hectares per person | 1.25 hectares per person | 1.25 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.22 hectares per person | 1.22 hectares per person | 1.22 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1860s | 1.18 hectares per person | 1.18 hectares per person | 1.18 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1870s | 1.15 hectares per person | 1.15 hectares per person | 1.15 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1880s | 1.12 hectares per person | 1.12 hectares per person | 1.12 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1890s | 1.09 hectares per person | 1.09 hectares per person | 1.09 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1900s | 1.06 hectares per person | 1.06 hectares per person | 1.06 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1910s | 1.04 hectares per person | 1.04 hectares per person | 1.04 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.01 hectares per person | 1.01 hectares per person | 1.01 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1930s | 0.9842 hectares per person | 0.9842 hectares per person | 0.9842 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1940s | 0.9598 hectares per person | 0.9598 hectares per person | 0.9598 hectares per person | 1 |
| 1950s | 0.9086 hectares per person | 0.8635 hectares per person | 0.9495 hectares per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.8612 hectares per person | 0.8378 hectares per person | 0.8877 hectares per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.7485 hectares per person | 0.6632 hectares per person | 0.8157 hectares per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.5568 hectares per person | 0.458 hectares per person | 0.6215 hectares per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.433 hectares per person | 0.4154 hectares per person | 0.4481 hectares per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3954 hectares per person | 0.3728 hectares per person | 0.4158 hectares per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3314 hectares per person | 0.3039 hectares per person | 0.3681 hectares per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2832 hectares per person | 0.2688 hectares per person | 0.2989 hectares per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More agriculture & rural data for Malawi
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 1.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0003 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1965 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.7718 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0004 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.2798 hectares per person (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land use per person in Malawi?
- Agricultural land use per person in Malawi was 0.2688 hectares per person in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest agricultural land use per person recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 1.64 hectares per person in 1700.
- What is the lowest agricultural land use per person recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2688 hectares per person in 2025.
- How does Malawi rank for agricultural land use per person?
- Malawi ranks 123rd out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is agricultural land use per person rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Agricultural land use per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total agricultural land per person for each separate country over time.