Malawi Population 2024 (Live)

21,321,337

According to current projections, Malawi’s population is expected to surpass 50 million people by 2058 and reach 66.21 million by the end of the century. With a current population of about 19.13 million for 2020, this means that Malawi’s population is expected to more than triple by 2099.

Malawi’s population grew 2.69% from 2019 to 2020, adding about 500,000 people to the population. While Malawi experiences negative net migration, the fertility rate of 4.25 births per woman helps boost the population growth.

Malawi’s rapid population growth will challenge the country’s ability to meet the needs of its people and its health, education, economic, and agricultural sectors. The rapid population growth will also lead to environmental degradation and faster depletion of resources, such as clean water, as well as create an even larger poverty problem.

Population Rank
Growth Rate
2024 World Percentage
Land Area
94,280
The current population of Malawi is 21,321,337 based on projections of the latest United Nations data. The UN estimates the July 1, 2024 population at 21,475,962.

Malawi Growth Rate

Malawi Population 2024 (Live)

Malawi Population Clock

Malawi Population (as of 3/20/2024)21,321,337
Next UN Estimate (July 1, 2024)21,475,962
Births per Day1,884
Deaths per Day351
Migrations per Day-16
Net Change per Day1,516
Population Change Since Jan. 1121,280

Components of Population Change

One birth every 46 seconds
One death every 4.1 minutes
One emigrant every 90 minutes
Net gain of one person every 57 seconds

Malawi Population Clock

City
2024 Population
Lilongwe646,750
Blantyre584,877
Mzuzu175,345
Zomba80,932
Kasungu42,555
Mangochi40,236
Karonga34,207
Salima30,052
Nkhotakota24,865
Liwonde22,469

Malawi Area and Population Density

Malawi has a land area of almost 119,000 square kilometers, or 99th in the world, with an estimated population of 17.2 million. Malawi still has a fairly low population density of 129 people per square kilometer (86th in the world).

Largest Cities in Malawi

Malawi has a low urban population at only 16.45%, and there are just three cities in Malawi. The capital is Lilongwe (978,000 in 2014), while the largest city is Blantyre (1.9 million in 2014) -- the commercial capital -- and Mzuzu (1.7 million in the outskirts, 130,000 in the city).

Malawi Population Density Map

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Year
Population
Growth Rate
Density (/km²)
Population Rank
Density Rank
202421,475,9622.62%2286265
202320,931,7512.65%2226266
202019,377,0612.7%2066370
201918,867,3372.72%2006472
201818,367,8832.72%1956572
201717,881,1672.73%1906572
201516,938,9422.85%1806673
201014,718,4222.9%1566772
200512,755,6482.58%1356978
200011,229,3872.12%1197084
199510,112,8161.17%1077387
19909,539,6654.58%1017289
19857,625,0784%8178104
19806,267,3693.48%6682112
19755,280,9652.69%5684113
19704,625,1412.49%4987112
19654,089,0972.46%4390113
19603,621,0812.25%3890112
19553,240,3181.9%3490112

Malawi Population by Year (Historical)

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Year
Population
Growth Rate
Density (/km²)
Population Rank
Density Rank
202421,475,9622.62%2286265
202522,033,9922.6%2346165
203024,944,2432.51%2656056
203527,975,1362.32%2975952
204031,059,5442.11%3295847
204534,126,1561.9%3625941
205037,159,3001.72%3945641
205540,111,5541.54%4255639
206042,963,9171.38%4565337
206545,653,3521.22%4845232
207048,166,8131.08%5115031
207550,473,0090.94%5354828
208052,543,9160.81%5574526
208554,400,0480.7%5774425
209056,005,9980.58%5944425
209557,377,6180.48%6094423

Malawi Population by Year (Projections)

Malawi Population Pyramid 2024

Malawi Median Age

16.8

Total

16.7

Male

16.9

Female

Malawi Population by Age

There are people over age 18 in Malawi.

Census Years

Year
Date
20182018
200828 June 2008
199821 September 1998
198721 September 1987

Malawi Population Pyramid

Malawi Demographics

Malawi has several ethnic groups, including the Chewa, Nyanja, Yao, Tumbuka, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, and Ngonde. There are sizable populations of Europeans and Asians. The official language is Chichewa, spoken by 57% of the population although English, Chinyanja, Chiyao, and Chitumbuka are spoken by a large percentage of people. There are also several native languages, such as Malawian Lomwe, Kokola, Lambya, Ndali, and Nyakyusa-Ngonde.

Malawi Religion, Economy and Politics

The main religions are Christianity and Islam. There are no accurate estimates on the religious affiliation of Malawi's population, but it is estimated that 68% of the country is Christian while 25% is Muslim.

Malawi is one of the least developed countries in the world with an economy centered on agriculture and a population that is mostly rural. The government depends a great deal of outside aid. There is a low life expectancy in Malawi with a high infant mortality rate and a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS (12% of the population).

Malawi Population History

What we now know as Malawi was formed by various indigenous tribes to create what was then the "Kingdom of Maravi" in the 1500s. In the late 1800s, a Scottish explorer identified the land as something he wanted, developed a trade route to the country via a river, and the country came under British rule before the turn of the 20th century. The indigenous people revolted against the British and formed their own Congress by the 1950s. By the 60s, Malawi declared independence with a leader named Banda, who declared himself president for life.

Between 2002-2005, drought caused widespread death of crops that affected both the economy, food, and water supply. However, this didn't have a dramatic effect on the rate of population growth, which has stayed around 3% annually since 2000.

Malawi Population Rank 2024
Area (km²)
118,484
2024 Growth Rate
Capital
GDP (IMF '23)
$13.18
GDP (UN '22)
$12.56 Bn

Malawi - General Info

Sources