01
Physical geography
Narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains.
Local timeLilongwe ·
Africa / Eastern Africa · Card 031
Malawi
Malawi is a country in Eastern Africa. Its capital is Lilongwe.
Find Malawi
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Lilongwe
- Languages
- English & Chewa
- Currency
- Malawian kwacha (MWK)
- Population
- 22.2 million2025 · World Bank
- Area
- 118,484 km²45,747 square miles
- Independence
- 1964from the UK
Malawi in context
Africa and its surrounding islands. The dot marks Lilongwe; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
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Languages
Languages used in public life include English, Chewa.
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Location
Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique.
Flag
Three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green, with a rising red sun centered on the black band
History & independence
Nyasaland became independent from Britain as Malawi on 6 July 1964 after nationalist campaigning and the breakup of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. It became a republic in 1966; multiparty elections followed a 1993 referendum.
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Independence as Malawi
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The republic is declared
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Multiparty national elections are held
Economy
Main activities
Agriculture supports many livelihoods, and tobacco, tea and sugar are important exports. The landlocked economy is vulnerable to weather shocks and to the cost of imported fuel and other goods.
Industry and production
tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Millions of people22.22025 · millions of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Millions of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4,633,944 | 4.634 |
| 1980 | 6,265,529 | 6.266 |
| 1990 | 9,545,852 | 9.546 |
| 2000 | 11,315,942 | 11.316 |
| 2010 | 14,826,463 | 14.826 |
| 2020 | 19,533,888 | 19.534 |
| 2025 | 22,216,120 | 22.216 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars12.22025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3,377,048,507 | 3.377 |
| 1991 | 3,671,872,669 | 3.672 |
| 1992 | 3,402,615,041 | 3.403 |
| 1993 | 3,732,391,067 | 3.732 |
| 1994 | 3,350,187,440 | 3.350 |
| 1995 | 3,910,634,176 | 3.911 |
| 1996 | 4,196,762,834 | 4.197 |
| 1997 | 4,355,921,669 | 4.356 |
| 1998 | 4,525,595,860 | 4.526 |
| 1999 | 4,663,277,074 | 4.663 |
| 2000 | 4,736,773,940 | 4.737 |
| 2001 | 4,501,121,160 | 4.501 |
| 2002 | 4,577,640,221 | 4.578 |
| 2003 | 4,838,823,865 | 4.839 |
| 2004 | 5,101,112,195 | 5.101 |
| 2005 | 5,267,853,576 | 5.268 |
| 2006 | 5,515,442,682 | 5.515 |
| 2007 | 6,044,925,173 | 6.045 |
| 2008 | 6,506,741,521 | 6.507 |
| 2009 | 7,048,630,103 | 7.049 |
| 2010 | 7,533,157,578 | 7.533 |
| 2011 | 7,904,743,382 | 7.905 |
| 2012 | 8,054,933,506 | 8.055 |
| 2013 | 8,490,733,601 | 8.491 |
| 2014 | 8,968,360,291 | 8.968 |
| 2015 | 9,219,474,379 | 9.219 |
| 2016 | 9,449,961,239 | 9.450 |
| 2017 | 9,827,959,688 | 9.828 |
| 2018 | 10,255,826,274 | 10.256 |
| 2019 | 10,842,133,934 | 10.842 |
| 2020 | 10,928,176,722 | 10.928 |
| 2021 | 11,426,314,940 | 11.426 |
| 2022 | 11,531,564,449 | 11.532 |
| 2023 | 11,755,940,189 | 11.756 |
| 2024 | 11,952,668,099 | 11.953 |
| 2025 | 12,177,998,253 | 12.178 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.517Low human developmentRank 172 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
19900.306
20000.394
20100.475
20200.512
20230.517
67.4 yearsLife expectancy at birth
5.2 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Presidential republic. National Assembly has one chamber (a unicameral legislature). The president holds executive responsibilities; the legislature makes national laws.
Knowledge check
Three questions about Malawi.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
Which group contains important exports from Malawi?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.