Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths in Malawi
Malawi: Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths was 360,752 children in 2024. ▲ Rising
Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths in Malawi, 1990–2024
Source: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in children.
Analysis
The most recent figure for children orphaned due to aids deaths in Malawi is 360,752 children, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.1% on the previous year and down 51.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children orphaned due to aids deaths in Malawi peaked at 830,782 children in 2009 and was at its lowest, 57,020 children, in 1990.
Malawi ranks 10th of 139 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths in Malawi, year by year
| Year | children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 57,020 children | — |
| 1991 | 81,263 children | +42.5% |
| 1992 | 112,085 children | +37.9% |
| 1993 | 150,144 children | +34.0% |
| 1994 | 193,215 children | +28.7% |
| 1995 | 237,010 children | +22.7% |
| 1996 | 287,432 children | +21.3% |
| 1997 | 341,736 children | +18.9% |
| 1998 | 399,059 children | +16.8% |
| 1999 | 458,323 children | +14.9% |
| 2000 | 516,167 children | +12.6% |
| 2001 | 573,199 children | +11.0% |
| 2002 | 627,354 children | +9.4% |
| 2003 | 675,360 children | +7.7% |
| 2004 | 718,886 children | +6.4% |
| 2005 | 756,419 children | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 787,708 children | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 809,154 children | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 823,205 children | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 830,782 children | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 827,685 children | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 815,819 children | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 799,437 children | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 777,670 children | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 749,801 children | -3.6% |
| 2015 | 719,087 children | -4.1% |
| 2016 | 687,078 children | -4.5% |
| 2017 | 651,635 children | -5.2% |
| 2018 | 611,237 children | -6.2% |
| 2019 | 568,135 children | -7.1% |
| 2020 | 524,811 children | -7.6% |
| 2021 | 483,454 children | -7.9% |
| 2022 | 443,375 children | -8.3% |
| 2023 | 401,294 children | -9.5% |
| 2024 | 360,752 children | -10.1% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 360,752 children is above the median for low income countries, which is 48,346 children, 7.5× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 360,752 children is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 83,352 children, 4.3× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 231,729 children | 57,020 children | 458,323 children | 10 |
| 2000s | 711,823 children | 516,167 children | 830,782 children | 10 |
| 2010s | 720,758 children | 568,135 children | 827,685 children | 10 |
| 2020s | 442,737 children | 360,752 children | 524,811 children | 5 |
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 children orphaned due to aids deaths in Malawi?
- Children orphaned due to aids deaths in Malawi was 360,752 children in 2024, according to Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest children orphaned due to aids deaths recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 830,782 children in 2009.
- What is the lowest children orphaned due to aids deaths recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 57,020 children in 1990.
- How does Malawi rank for children orphaned due to aids deaths?
- Malawi ranks 10th out of 139 countries with data for 2024.
- Is children orphaned due to aids deaths rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Number of children, aged 17 and under, who have been orphaned by the death of one or both parents from AIDS at any point in their lives. This is the central estimate.