Gross national income (GNI) per capita in Malawi
Malawi: Gross national income (GNI) per capita was 1,634 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
1,634 international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
184th
of 193 countries
All-time high
1,708 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2019
All-time low
984.72 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1994
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Gross national income (GNI) per capita in Malawi, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross national income (gni) per capita in Malawi is 1,634 international-$ in 2021 prices, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross national income (gni) per capita in Malawi peaked at 1,708 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2019 and was at its lowest, 984.72 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1994.
Malawi ranks 184th of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Gross national income (GNI) per capita in Malawi, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,054 international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1991 | 1,112 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.5% |
| 1992 | 1,002 international-$ in 2021 prices | -9.9% |
| 1993 | 1,084 international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.2% |
| 1994 | 984.72 international-$ in 2021 prices | -9.1% |
| 1995 | 1,152 international-$ in 2021 prices | +16.9% |
| 1996 | 1,212 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.3% |
| 1997 | 1,234 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 1,256 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 1,265 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 1,256 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 1,166 international-$ in 2021 prices | -7.2% |
| 2002 | 1,157 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 1,192 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 1,224 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 1,230 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 1,252 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 1,334 international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.5% |
| 2008 | 1,395 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 1,468 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.2% |
| 2010 | 1,524 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 1,554 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 1,540 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 1,578 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 1,621 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 1,621 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1,617 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 1,637 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 1,663 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 1,708 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 1,676 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 1,678 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 1,650 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 1,634 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 1,634 international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for low income countries, which is 1,731 international-$ in 2021 prices, 94% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 1,634 international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3,464 international-$ in 2021 prices, 47% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,136 international-$ in 2021 prices | 984.72 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,265 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,267 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,157 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,468 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,606 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,524 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,708 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,659 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,634 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,678 international-$ in 2021 prices | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 181 Chad 1,748 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 182 Sierra Leone 1,714 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 183 Madagascar 1,656 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 185 Niger 1,590 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 186 Liberia 1,538 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 187 Somalia 1,475 international-$ in 2021 prices 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 gross national income (gni) per capita in Malawi?
- Gross national income (gni) per capita in Malawi was 1,634 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gross national income (gni) per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 1,708 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2019.
- What is the lowest gross national income (gni) per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 984.72 international-$ in 2021 prices in 1994.
- How does Malawi rank for gross national income (gni) per capita?
- Malawi ranks 184th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gross national income (gni) per capita rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gross national income (GNI) per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average income per person earned by residents of a country or region, including income earned abroad. This data is adjusted for inflation and for differences in living costs between countries.