Number of children under 5 in Malawi
Malawi: Number of children under 5 was 3.08 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
3.08 million people
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
48th
of 236 countries
All-time high
3.08 million people
in 2023
All-time low
546,069 people
in 1952
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children under 5 in Malawi, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of children under 5 in Malawi is 3.08 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children under 5 in Malawi peaked at 3.08 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 546,069 people, in 1952.
Malawi ranks 48th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of children under 5 in Malawi, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 557,561 people | — |
| 1951 | 550,058 people | -1.3% |
| 1952 | 546,069 people | -0.7% |
| 1953 | 549,315 people | +0.6% |
| 1954 | 557,087 people | +1.4% |
| 1955 | 568,773 people | +2.1% |
| 1956 | 585,653 people | +3.0% |
| 1957 | 603,626 people | +3.1% |
| 1958 | 622,678 people | +3.2% |
| 1959 | 643,316 people | +3.3% |
| 1960 | 665,168 people | +3.4% |
| 1961 | 687,249 people | +3.3% |
| 1962 | 709,405 people | +3.2% |
| 1963 | 731,713 people | +3.1% |
| 1964 | 753,538 people | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 774,611 people | +2.8% |
| 1966 | 795,888 people | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 817,722 people | +2.7% |
| 1968 | 839,987 people | +2.7% |
| 1969 | 862,690 people | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 885,893 people | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 909,684 people | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 934,087 people | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 959,129 people | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 985,233 people | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 1.01 million people | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 1.04 million people | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 1.08 million people | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 1.11 million people | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 1.16 million people | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 1.21 million people | +4.2% |
| 1981 | 1.26 million people | +4.3% |
| 1982 | 1.31 million people | +4.3% |
| 1983 | 1.37 million people | +4.1% |
| 1984 | 1.42 million people | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 1.46 million people | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 1.51 million people | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 1.55 million people | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 1.62 million people | +4.4% |
| 1989 | 1.71 million people | +5.1% |
| 1990 | 1.78 million people | +4.3% |
| 1991 | 1.84 million people | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 1.90 million people | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 1.93 million people | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 1.90 million people | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 1.89 million people | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 1.92 million people | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 1.96 million people | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 1.99 million people | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 2.03 million people | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 2.07 million people | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 2.11 million people | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 2.16 million people | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 2.21 million people | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 2.27 million people | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 2.34 million people | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 2.42 million people | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 2.50 million people | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 2.58 million people | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 2.65 million people | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 2.71 million people | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 2.76 million people | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 2.80 million people | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 2.83 million people | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 2.85 million people | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 2.86 million people | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 2.87 million people | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 2.88 million people | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 2.89 million people | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 2.91 million people | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 2.94 million people | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 2.98 million people | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 3.03 million people | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 3.08 million people | +1.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 3.08 million people is below the median for low income countries, which is 3.35 million people, 92% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 3.08 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.19 million people, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 578,414 people | 546,069 people | 643,316 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 763,797 people | 665,168 people | 862,690 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.01 million people | 885,893 people | 1.16 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.44 million people | 1.21 million people | 1.71 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.91 million people | 1.78 million people | 2.03 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.33 million people | 2.07 million people | 2.65 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.84 million people | 2.71 million people | 2.91 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.01 million people | 2.94 million people | 3.08 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
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 number of children under 5 in Malawi?
- Number of children under 5 in Malawi was 3.08 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children under 5 recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 3.08 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children under 5 recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 546,069 people in 1952.
- How does Malawi rank for number of children under 5?
- Malawi ranks 48th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children under 5 rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of children under 5. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 0-4.