Identity
- Official name
- Republic of Malawi
- Status
- Sovereign country profile
- Demonym
- Malawian
- Codes
- MW / MWI
Daily discoveryDid you know?
The listed currency code is MWK.
MWRepublic of MalawiSovereign country profile
Malawi
Malawi is in Eastern Africa. This profile brings its status, flag, geography, people, languages, and latest available indicators into one clear visual story.
FlagMWI · 109 / 207
🇲🇼 The flag shown for Malawi. Profile code: MW / MWI.
01Population22.8M
UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
02CapitalLilongwe
Republic of Malawi
03CurrencyMWK
Malawian kwacha (MWK)
04Life expectancy67.9 years
UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
National anthemMulungu dalitsa MalaŵiNational anthem audio · Wikidata / Wikimedia Commons · 0:52
Basic info
Expanded country facts
Core identity, people, geography, government, and practical reference data in one scan-friendly board.
People
- Population
- 22.8M · UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
- Median age
- 18.4 years · UN DESA 2026 medium projection
- Languages
- English, Chewa
- Largest cities
- Lilongwe
Place
- Region
- Africa
- Subregion
- Eastern Africa
- Area
- 118,484 km²
- Coordinates
- 13.5° S, 34.0° E
Practical
- Currency
- Malawian kwacha (MWK)
- Calling code
- +265
- Time zones
- Profile-specific value pending
- Emergency
- Emergency numbers vary; check official guidance
Government
- Type
- Not published
- Head of state
- Peter Mutharika
- Head of government
- Lazarus Chakwera
- Constitution
- Comparable date pending
Geography
- Connections
- This profile has land borders and no coastline.
- Climate
- Tropical to subtropical zones
- Highest point
- Mulanje Massif
- Driving side
- Left
Compare profiles
See Malawi
in context.
Start with a neighbor or a similar regional profile, then adjust the matchup across the complete atlas.
At a glance
Meet
Malawi.
Malawi is a landlocked profile in Eastern Africa. Its status is sovereign country profile.
RegionEastern Africa
DemonymMalawian
Area118,484 km²
Calling code+265
Economy
The latest available indicators.
Economic values use the latest non-empty World Bank year from 2019–2026, shown below each figure.
GDP$14.9B2025 · current USD
GDP per person$671.52025 · current USD
GDP growth1.9%2025 annual growth
A deeper profile
People, systems
& everyday life.
Comparable facts are shown with clear dates and neutral framing. Gaps stay visible instead of being filled with guesses.
How people live
Urban 17.6%Rural 82.4%
World Bank · 2025- Median age
- 18.4 years
- Languages
- English, Chewa
- Capital / principal city
- Lilongwe
Ethnic and religious categories vary by national census and are not presented without a directly comparable, dated source.
Placed in context
Population0.6× atlas average
GDP#146 of 192
Population compares the 207 atlas profiles. GDP ranking includes profiles with a published World Bank value.
A concise timeline
Wikidata records the current state as dating from 1964. Earlier state forms, independence milestones, and later constitutional changes may use different dates, so this is a starting point rather than a complete national timeline.
- Government
- Not published
- Head of state
- Peter Mutharika
- Head of government
- Lazarus Chakwera
- Current constitution
- Comparable date pending
Land and climate
- Climate
- Tropical to subtropical zones
- Geography
- Malawi is in Eastern Africa and has no coastline. Its listed area is 118,484 km².
- Highest point
- Mulanje Massif
- Major rivers
- Profile-specific value pending
- Natural resources
- Profile-specific value pending
Practical essentials
- Driving side
- Left
- Calling code
- +265
- Time zones
- Profile-specific value pending
- Plug types
- Profile-specific value pending
- Tipping
- Local customs vary by setting
- Emergency numbers
- Emergency numbers vary; check official guidance
Remember Malawi
- Lilongwe is the capital city.
- Malawi covers 118,484 km².
- Malawi is landlocked.
- It shares land borders with Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia.
- Listed official languages include English, Chewa.
- Its international calling code is +265.
- The latest published population in this atlas is 22.2M (2025).
- The listed currency code is MWK.
Connected places
Neighboring profiles
Continue exploring across each listed land border or connected geography.
This profile has land borders and no coastline.
Visual atlas
Malawi in view
People & place
Country
essentials.
English, Chewa
Languages listed in the open country catalog for Malawi.
3 listed connections
This profile has land borders and no coastline.
Malawian kwacha (MWK)
The primary currency code and name used in the country catalog.
Identity card
Four essentials
MWTwo-letter country code
MWIThree-letter country code
LilongweCapital city
AfricaWorld region
Sources & notes
Numbers you can trace.
Statistics show their reference year because country data changes. Unavailable values are clearly marked instead of estimated.
- UN DESA World Population Prospects — population, age, sex balance, and longevity ↗
- World Bank — latest available economic indicators ↗
- World Bank — urban population share ↗
- Wikidata — government and current officeholders ↗
- National anthem audio source — Mulungu dalitsa Malaŵi ↗
- Open country catalog — names, codes and geography ↗
- OpenStreetMap — map data ↗
Verified data & AI projection
Malawi
Special Report.
Malawi is profiled through long-run World Bank indicators covering the economy, population, health, work, technology, and environment. Eastern Africa context, landlocked geography, demographic direction, and long-run development indicators.
Current demographic baselineUN DESA · 2026
Medium projection from World Population Prospects, 2024 Revision
Executive read
What the numbers suggest
- Population has moved up since 2000, giving the report a clear demographic baseline.
- Life expectancy is higher than in 2000, showing the direction of health and longevity conditions.
- Recent GDP growth averages 2.2% across the latest 5 available observations.
Human development pressure
28.9MPopulation base
73.4 yrsLife expectancy
2.67Fertility rate
37.0%Internet access
2035 scenarios are simple educational trend projections from recent historical observations. They are not official forecasts.
economy · NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG
HighGDP growth
20001.58%
20251.89%
2035 base2.83%
Low2.50%Base2.83%High3.17%
recent average · % annual
people · SP.POP.GROW
HighPopulation growth
20002.40%
20252.56%
2035 base2.36%
Low2.43%Base2.36%High2.29%
linear trend · % annual
people · SP.POP.TOTL
HighPopulation
200011.3M
202522.2M
2035 base28.9M
Low26.4MBase28.9MHigh31.6M
compound trend · people
health · SP.DYN.LE00.IN
HighLife expectancy
200046.2 yrs
202467.6 yrs
2035 base73.4 yrs
Low71.4 yrsBase73.4 yrsHigh75.5 yrs
linear trend · years
people · SP.DYN.TFRT.IN
HighFertility rate
20006.00
20243.59
2035 base2.67
Low2.99Base2.67High2.34
linear trend · births per woman
people · SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
HighUrban population
200014.7%
202517.6%
2035 base19.5%
Low18.8%Base19.5%High20.1%
linear trend · % of total
economy · FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG
HighInflation
200029.6%
202528.4%
2035 base18.3%
Low21.8%Base18.3%High14.8%
recent average · % annual
work · SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
HighUnemployment
20005.04%
20255.07%
2035 base5.16%
Low5.13%Base5.16%High5.19%
recent average · % labor force
economy · NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
HighGDP per capita
2000$224.2
2025$671.5
2035 base$835.7
Low$774.5Base$835.7High$901.1
compound trend · current US$
environment · EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
HighCO2 per person
20000.27
20240.22
2035 base0.15
Low0.17Base0.15High0.12
linear trend · t CO2e/capita
technology · IT.NET.USER.ZS
HighInternet access
20000.13%
202419.0%
2035 base37.0%
Low30.7%Base37.0%High43.3%
linear trend · % of people
economy · NY.GDP.MKTP.CD
HighGDP
2000$2.5B
2025$14.9B
2035 base$24.1B
Low$20.5BBase$24.1BHigh$28.4B
compound trend · current US$
Educational projection, not an official forecast.Historical values are World Bank observations retrieved 2026-08-13. The 2026 demographic baseline is the official UN DESA medium projection from World Population Prospects 2024. The atlas's 2035 scenarios use simple trend math.