Malawi — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Malawi, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Malawi was 5.07% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 5.72% in 2020. The lowest was 4.69% in 1997 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.10% per year.
Malawi ranks 99 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 53%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 5.45%, so Malawi sits below it. It peaked in 2020 and has fallen 11% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 2%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 26 of 47 economies; Congo, Dem. Rep. (4.43%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 15% in 2020.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 106th of 187 in 1991 → 118th of 187 in 2000 → 126th of 187 in 2010 → 105th of 187 in 2020 → 94th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.07% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 5.05% | +0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 5.01% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 5.02% | -0.6 pp |
| 2021 | 5.65% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 5.72% | +0.8 pp |
| 2019 | 4.96% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 5.02% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 5.05% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 5.01% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 4.95% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 4.97% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 4.98% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 4.95% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 4.83% | +0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 4.78% | +0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 4.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 4.8% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 4.88% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 4.95% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 4.93% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 4.96% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 5.17% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 5.25% | +0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 5.22% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 5.05% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 5% | +0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 4.92% | +0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 4.69% | -0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 4.94% | +0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 4.89% | -0.5 pp |
| 1994 | 5.37% | +0.4 pp |
| 1993 | 4.99% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 5.06% | +0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 4.9% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Malawi’s Unemployment in 1992?
5.06% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Malawi’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +3.5% in total — about 0.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. 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: 5.07%; 2024: 5.05%; 2023: 5.01%; 2022: 5.02%; 2021: 5.65%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. 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.