Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Malawi
Malawi: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.1% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Malawi, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Malawi is 0.1%, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and up 114.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Malawi peaked at 0.1% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2010.
Malawi ranks 157th of 173 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.1% | — |
| 1989 | 0.1% | +9.7% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -3.9% |
| 1991 | 0.1% | +10.8% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | +21.4% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | -4.9% |
| 1996 | 0.1% | +11.5% |
| 1997 | 0.1% | -45.5% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 0.1% | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | +10.6% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 0.1% | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | -14.0% |
| 2005 | 0.1% | +13.6% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 0.0% | -26.5% |
| 2010 | 0.0% | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 0.0% | +24.6% |
| 2012 | 0.0% | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 0.0% | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 0.0% | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | +113.2% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | -2.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 0.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.2%, 48% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 0.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.1%, 59% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +113.2% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1997 | -45.5% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2009 | -26.5% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 154 Lesotho 0.1% compare
- 155 Somalia 0.1% compare
- 156 Zambia 0.1% compare
- 158 Madagascar 0.1% compare
- 159 Equatorial Guinea 0.1% compare
- 160 Burkina Faso 0.1% compare
More reference data data for Malawi
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1596 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3426 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5353 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.6012 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 16.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.87 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Malawi?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Malawi was 0.1% in 2020, according to The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 0.1% in 1996.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2010.
- How does Malawi rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
- Malawi ranks 157th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 114.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Armed forces personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if their training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.