Malawi GDP Trends from 1980 to 2024: A overall increase with some decline Flow

  • April 18, 2025

Malawi's GDP changed from approximately $3B 22M in 1980 to $11B 241M in 2024, showing an overall 272.0% sharply increased during the period.
The lowest GDP was recorded in 1985 at $2B 762M, and the highest in 2023 at $13B 127M.
Over the 44-year span, the GDP showed a overall increase with some decline trend, with an average annual growth rate of 3.0%. For comparison, the average annual growth rate of Mozambique was 3.7%, and that of Tanzania was 4.6%.

Overview of Malawi's GDP (1980–2024)

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Malawi recorded a 272.0% sharply increased from 1980 to 2024.
The average GDP during this period was $6B 352M, and the median was $5B 148M.
GDP fluctuated within a range of $10B 365M, with a standard deviation of $3B 194M.
The average annual change was $222M 183K.


Beautiful Chart

Malawi GDP from 1980 to 2024

The total market value of goods and services produced annually in Malawi.

Parsing Data

Highest and Lowest GDP Records

  • Lowest GDP: 1985, $2B 762M
  • Highest GDP: 2023, $13B 127M
  • Most Recent GDP: 2024, $11B 241M

Notable Annual GDP Changes

  • 1996: Significant increase in GDP
  • 2012: Noticeable drop in GDP

Overall pattern: overall increase with some decline


Global Economic Events and Malawi's GDP

COVID-19 Pandemic (2020)

  • Period: From 2019 to 2020
  • GDP Change: $11B 31M → $11B 847M
  • Outcome: increased

2008 Global Financial Crisis

  • Period: From 2007 to 2009
  • GDP Change: $6B 240M → $8B 723M
  • Outcome: sharply increased

2001 Dot-com Bubble Burst

  • Period: From 2000 to 2001
  • GDP Change: $4B 256M → $4B 178M
  • Outcome: declined

1998 Asian Financial Crisis

  • Period: From 1997 to 1998
  • GDP Change: $6B 504M → $4B 275M
  • Outcome: sharply declined

Key Economic Indicators of Malawi (1980–2024)

yearNominal GDPGDP per CapitaPPP per CapitaPPP GDPGDP GrowthCurrent AccountSavingsFiscal BalancePopulation
1980
$ 3B 22M
$ 460.39
$ 502.47
$ 3B 298M
0.395 %
-8.592 %
3.28 %
0 %
6M 564K people
1981
$ 3B 22M
$ 447.79
$ 506.89
$ 3B 421M
-5.245 %
-4.817 %
4.35 %
0 %
6M 748K people
1982
$ 2B 881M
$ 416.18
$ 537.82
$ 3B 723M
2.516 %
-3.877 %
5.60 %
0 %
6M 923K people
1983
$ 2B 986M
$ 419.66
$ 563.79
$ 4B 11M
3.694 %
-4.381 %
5.86 %
0 %
7M 116K people
1984
$ 2B 949M
$ 400.33
$ 594.55
$ 4B 380M
5.373 %
-1.415 %
5.41 %
0 %
7M 368K people
1985
$ 2B 762M
$ 358.71
$ 613.65
$ 4B 725M
4.571 %
-4.576 %
5 %
0 %
7M 700K people
1986
$ 2B 883M
$ 354.47
$ 591.42
$ 4B 810M
-0.215 %
-2.943 %
3.57 %
0 %
8M 132K people
1987
$ 2B 834M
$ 327.76
$ 579.32
$ 5B 10M
1.625 %
-2.138 %
5.36 %
0 %
8M 647K people
1988
$ 3B 258M
$ 354.72
$ 582.57
$ 5B 351M
3.177 %
-2.666 %
7.12 %
0 %
9M 185K people
1989
$ 3B 715M
$ 384.33
$ 582.96
$ 5B 636M
1.345 %
-1.379 %
4.95 %
0 %
9M 667K people
1990
$ 4B 222M
$ 420.59
$ 615.54
$ 6B 179M
5.692 %
-2.041 %
6.92 %
0 %
10M 39K people
1991
$ 5B 380M
$ 523.59
$ 675.98
$ 6B 946M
8.73 %
-4.232 %
5.43 %
0 %
10M 275K people
1992
$ 4B 394M
$ 422.47
$ 633.02
$ 6B 583M
-7.333 %
-6.485 %
3.05 %
0 %
10M 400K people
1993
$ 5B 56M
$ 483.26
$ 706.65
$ 7B 393M
9.692 %
-3.275 %
2.60 %
0 %
10M 461K people
1994
$ 2B 930M
$ 278.14
$ 642.93
$ 6B 772M
-10.313 %
-6.168 %
1.93 %
0 %
10M 533K people
1995
$ 3B 412M
$ 319.89
$ 737.87
$ 7B 870M
13.83 %
-2.287 %
2.93 %
0 %
10M 666K people
1996
$ 5B 569M
$ 512.06
$ 810.33
$ 8B 814M
9.979 %
-2.647 %
1.94 %
0 %
10M 876K people
1997
$ 6B 504M
$ 583.42
$ 857.23
$ 9B 556M
6.587 %
-4.247 %
0.10 %
0 %
11M 148K people
1998
$ 4B 275M
$ 373.08
$ 852.33
$ 9B 766M
1.061 %
-0.102 %
5.34 %
0 %
11M 458K people
1999
$ 4B 336M
$ 368.27
$ 870.99
$ 10B 255M
3.541 %
-3.633 %
2.60 %
0 %
11M 774K people