Malawi — Urban population
Urban Population (% of Total) for Malawi, 1960–2025.
Urban population for Malawi was 17.59% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The latest year is also the highest value on record for this series. The lowest was 4.04% in 1960 (about 4.4× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 2.29% per year.
Malawi ranks 214 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 99%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 45.11%, so Malawi sits below it. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 11%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 48 of 48 economies; Niger (18.37%) is just above it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 7% in 1971. That is 7% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 1976. Doubling roughly every 31 years at that pace.
World ranking. Slipped: 207th of 217 in 1960 → 213th of 217 in 1970 → 212th of 217 in 1980 → 214th of 217 in 1990 → 213th of 217 in 2000 → 214th of 217 in 2010 → 215th of 217 in 2020 → 214th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17.59% | +0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 17.27% | +0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 16.97% | +0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 16.71% | +0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 16.49% | +0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 16.3% | +0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 16.14% | +0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 16.02% | +0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 15.96% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 15.9% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 15.83% | +0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 15.77% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 15.7% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 15.63% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 15.55% | +0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 15.48% | +0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 15.4% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 15.32% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 15.25% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 15.18% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 15.1% | +0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 15.03% | +0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 14.96% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 14.87% | +0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 14.78% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 14.68% | +0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 14.56% | +0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 14.42% | +0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 14.23% | +0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 13.96% | +0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 13.64% | +0.4 pp |
| 1994 | 13.27% | +0.4 pp |
| 1993 | 12.87% | +0.4 pp |
| 1992 | 12.45% | +0.4 pp |
| 1991 | 12.03% | +0.4 pp |
| 1990 | 11.62% | +0.4 pp |
| 1989 | 11.25% | +0.3 pp |
| 1988 | 10.91% | +0.3 pp |
| 1987 | 10.62% | +0.2 pp |
| 1986 | 10.37% | +0.2 pp |
| 1985 | 10.14% | +0.2 pp |
| 1984 | 9.93% | +0.2 pp |
| 1983 | 9.73% | +0.2 pp |
| 1982 | 9.54% | +0.2 pp |
| 1981 | 9.34% | +0.2 pp |
| 1980 | 9.13% | +0.2 pp |
| 1979 | 8.92% | +0.2 pp |
| 1978 | 8.68% | +0.3 pp |
| 1977 | 8.42% | +0.3 pp |
| 1976 | 8.11% | +0.4 pp |
| 1975 | 7.76% | +0.4 pp |
| 1974 | 7.36% | +0.4 pp |
| 1973 | 6.95% | +0.4 pp |
| 1972 | 6.53% | +0.4 pp |
| 1971 | 6.12% | +0.4 pp |
| 1970 | 5.73% | +0.4 pp |
| 1969 | 5.38% | +0.3 pp |
| 1968 | 5.08% | +0.2 pp |
| 1967 | 4.84% | +0.2 pp |
| 1966 | 4.69% | +0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 4.57% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 4.45% | +0.1 pp |
| 1963 | 4.34% | +0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 4.24% | +0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 4.14% | +0.1 pp |
| 1960 | 4.04% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Malawi’s Urban population in 1961?
4.14% (1961). 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 population, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Malawi’s Urban population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +335.1% in total — about 2.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.URB.TOTL.IN.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: 17.59%; 2024: 17.27%; 2023: 16.97%; 2022: 16.71%; 2021: 16.49%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS — Urban Population (% of Total). 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.