Number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels in Malawi

Malawi: Number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels was 316,567 people in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
316,567 people
Change on year
down 3.8%
World rank
155th
of 189 countries
All-time high
378,834 people
in 2017
All-time low
237,609 people
in 2002
Years of data
24
2000–2023

Number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels in Malawi, 2000–2023

0100.0k200.0k300.0k400.0k2000201120232000: 237.6k people2001: 243.5k people2002: 237.6k people2003: 255.8k people2004: 262.5k people2005: 282.5k people2006: 290.4k people2007: 298.7k people2008: 321.5k people2009: 331.1k people2010: 355.8k people2011: 366.4k people2012: 361.3k people2013: 371.7k people2014: 365.7k people2015: 375.9k people2016: 368.7k people2017: 378.8k people2018: 352.0k people2019: 361.5k people2020: 351.6k people2021: 340.8k people2022: 329.1k people2023: 316.6k people

Source: World Health Organization (via World Bank) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels in Malawi is 316,567 people, measured in 2023.

That represents a change of down 3.8% on the previous year and down 14.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels in Malawi peaked at 378,834 people in 2017 and was at its lowest, 237,609 people, in 2002.

That places Malawi 155th out of 189 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.

Number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels in Malawi, 2000 to 2023.
Year people Change
2000 237,635 people
2001 243,454 people +2.4%
2002 237,609 people -2.4%
2003 255,813 people +7.7%
2004 262,515 people +2.6%
2005 282,481 people +7.6%
2006 290,371 people +2.8%
2007 298,680 people +2.9%
2008 321,458 people +7.6%
2009 331,103 people +3.0%
2010 355,835 people +7.5%
2011 366,361 people +3.0%
2012 361,320 people -1.4%
2013 371,722 people +2.9%
2014 365,674 people -1.6%
2015 375,883 people +2.8%
2016 368,712 people -1.9%
2017 378,834 people +2.7%
2018 352,034 people -7.1%
2019 361,489 people +2.7%
2020 351,610 people -2.7%
2021 340,803 people -3.1%
2022 329,100 people -3.4%
2023 316,567 people -3.8%

Malawi compared with similar countries

  • Malawi's 316,567 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 991,365 people, 32% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • Malawi's 316,567 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.27 million people, 25% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 276,112 people 237,609 people 331,103 people 10
2010s 365,786 people 352,034 people 378,834 people 10
2020s 334,520 people 316,567 people 351,610 people 4

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 152 Iceland 385,663 people compare
  2. 153 Montenegro 382,847 people compare
  3. 154 Belize 340,807 people compare
  4. 156 Mali 308,999 people compare
  5. 157 Barbados 282,336 people compare
  6. 158 East Timor 264,399 people compare

See the full ranking of 189 places →

More reference data data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels in Malawi?
Number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels in Malawi was 316,567 people in 2023, according to World Health Organization (via World Bank) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 378,834 people in 2017.
What is the lowest number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 237,609 people in 2002.
How does Malawi rank for number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels?
Malawi ranks 155th out of 189 countries with data for 2023.
Is number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is down 14.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization (via World Bank) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization (via World Bank) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/number-with-without-clean-cooking-fuels/malawi/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of people with and without access to clean cooking fuels
Unit
people
Source
World Health Organization (via World Bank) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
189 places, 4,536 data points, 2000–2023
Last refreshed

Access to clean fuels or technologies such as natural gas, electricity, and clean cookstoves reduces exposure to indoor air pollutants, a leading cause of death in low-income households.