Malawi — GDP per capita
GDP per Capita (Nominal) for Malawi, 1980–2025.
GDP per capita for Malawi was 672 in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 46 years, from 1980 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 763 in 2011. The lowest was 169 in 1994 (about 4.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.90% per year.
Malawi ranks 205 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 97%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 1,319, so Malawi sits below it. It peaked in 2011 and has fallen 12% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 24%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 42 of 47 economies; Somalia, Fed. Rep. (661) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 99% in 2002. That is 18% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1980 level: doubled by 2009. Doubling roughly every 37 years at that pace.
World ranking. Slipped: 145th of 163 in 1980 → 175th of 192 in 1990 → 195th of 204 in 2000 → 196th of 212 in 2010 → 200th of 210 in 2020 → 181st of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1980 to 2025
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 671.51 | +28.6% |
| 2024 | 522.37 | -17.5% |
| 2023 | 633.21 | +4.8% |
| 2022 | 604.27 | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 617.45 | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 602.51 | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 580.89 | +8.9% |
| 2018 | 533.2 | +7.6% |
| 2017 | 495.77 | +10.0% |
| 2016 | 450.51 | -16.5% |
| 2015 | 539.61 | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 529.51 | +6.6% |
| 2013 | 496.95 | -11.0% |
| 2012 | 558.46 | -26.8% |
| 2011 | 763.06 | +11.7% |
| 2010 | 683.12 | +9.1% |
| 2009 | 625.87 | +13.0% |
| 2008 | 554.05 | +16.6% |
| 2007 | 475.18 | +7.8% |
| 2006 | 440.82 | +6.4% |
| 2005 | 414.36 | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 404.67 | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 383.35 | -10.5% |
| 2002 | 428.21 | +98.7% |
| 2001 | 215.47 | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 224.22 | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 233.94 | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 236.05 | -35.7% |
| 1997 | 366.95 | +14.4% |
| 1996 | 320.66 | +60.0% |
| 1995 | 200.36 | +18.4% |
| 1994 | 169.2 | -42.3% |
| 1993 | 293.02 | +13.4% |
| 1992 | 258.39 | -20.7% |
| 1991 | 325.75 | +13.6% |
| 1990 | 286.73 | +13.7% |
| 1989 | 252.2 | +9.9% |
| 1988 | 229.42 | +10.5% |
| 1987 | 207.61 | -4.7% |
| 1986 | 217.87 | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 216.05 | -9.9% |
| 1984 | 239.75 | -5.0% |
| 1983 | 252.44 | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 253.34 | -8.3% |
| 1981 | 276.41 | -3.8% |
| 1980 | 287.47 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Malawi’s GDP per capita in 1981?
276.41 (1981). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are Malawi’s GDP per capita figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — current US$ — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is Malawi’s GDP per capita growing or shrinking?
Between 1980 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +133.6% in total — about 1.9% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.PCAP.CD. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 671.51; 2024: 522.37; 2023: 633.21; 2022: 604.27; 2021: 617.45. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.PCAP.CD — GDP per Capita (Nominal). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.