Poverty: Share of population living on less than $1 a day in Malawi
Malawi: Poverty: Share of population living on less than $1 a day was 12.6% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $1 a day in Malawi, 1997–2019
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2019, poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day in Malawi stood at 12.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 50.5% on the previous year and down 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day in Malawi peaked at 16.8% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 5.7%, in 1997.
Malawi ranks 3rd of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 10.6% | 10.6% | 10.6% | 1 |
| 2010s | 12.6% | 8.4% | 16.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 1 Mozambique 28.9% compare
- 2 Zambia 28.4% compare
- 4 Burundi 11.4% compare
- 5 Madagascar 7.9% compare
- 6 Ghana 6.8% compare
More reference data data for Malawi
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.0372 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.606 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.3659 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.9529 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies -0.5269 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 1,313 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day in Malawi?
- Poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day in Malawi was 12.6% in 2019, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 16.8% in 2010.
- What is the lowest poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7% in 1997.
- How does Malawi rank for poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day?
- Malawi ranks 3rd out of 120 countries with data for 2019.
- Is poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Poverty: Share of population living on less than $1 a day. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below $1 per day.