Reduction in Human Development Index when adjusting for inequalities in Malawi

Malawi: Reduction in Human Development Index when adjusting for inequalities was 29.4% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
29.4%
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
49th
of 166 countries
All-time high
36.2%
in 2011
All-time low
29.4%
in 2023
Years of data
14
2010–2023

Reduction in Human Development Index when adjusting for inequalities in Malawi, 2010–2023

0102030402010201620232010: 34.1 %2011: 36.2 %2012: 35.9 %2013: 34.8 %2014: 34.6 %2015: 34.3 %2016: 34 %2017: 32.7 %2018: 32.4 %2019: 32.2 %2020: 30.1 %2021: 29.7 %2022: 29.6 %2023: 29.4 %

Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2023, reduction in human development index when adjusting for inequalities in Malawi stood at 29.4%. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.

The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 15.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, reduction in human development index when adjusting for inequalities in Malawi peaked at 36.2% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 29.4%, in 2023.

That places Malawi 49th out of 166 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 34.1% 32.2% 36.2% 10
2020s 29.7% 29.4% 30.1% 4

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 46 Nepal 29.7% compare
  2. 47 Bangladesh 29.6% compare
  3. 48 Tanzania 29.5% compare
  4. 50 East Timor 28.9% compare
  5. 51 Cape Verde 28.4% compare
  6. 52 Guatemala 27.6% compare

See the full ranking of 166 places →

More reference data data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is reduction in human development index when adjusting for inequalities in Malawi?
Reduction in human development index when adjusting for inequalities in Malawi was 29.4% in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest reduction in human development index when adjusting for inequalities recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 36.2% in 2011.
What is the lowest reduction in human development index when adjusting for inequalities recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 29.4% in 2023.
How does Malawi rank for reduction in human development index when adjusting for inequalities?
Malawi ranks 49th out of 166 countries with data for 2023.
Is reduction in human development index when adjusting for inequalities rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is down 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
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 Reduction in Human Development Index when adjusting for inequalities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Reduction in Human Development Index when adjusting for inequalities
Unit
%
Source
UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
166 places, 2,131 data points, 2010–2023
Last refreshed

Percentage difference between the IHDI value and the HDI value.