Contact Contacts
Rural population share — all countries

Rural population share — Malawi

Rural population share in Malawi in 2025 — 82.4%. Ranked 4 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 13.6 pp.

2025 82.4% −0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank 4of 217
Period maximum 96%1960
Period minimum 82.4%2025

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Rural population share — Malawi, 1960–20258085909510019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 96%1962: 95.8%1964: 95.5%1966: 95.3%1968: 94.9%1970: 94.3%1972: 93.5%1974: 92.6%1976: 91.9%1978: 91.3%1980: 90.9%1982: 90.5%1984: 90.1%1986: 89.6%1988: 89.1%1990: 88.4%1992: 87.6%1994: 86.7%1996: 86%1998: 85.6%2000: 85.3%2002: 85.1%2004: 85%2006: 84.8%2008: 84.7%2010: 84.5%2012: 84.4%2014: 84.2%2016: 84.1%2018: 84%2020: 83.7%2022: 83.3%2024: 82.7%2025: 82.4%
Change over the period: −13.6 pp Annual average: -0.21 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Malawi

Malawi 82.4%
World 42.2%
Sub-Saharan Africa 55.3%
Eastern Africa computed 68.2%
Low-income countries computed 64.4%
Rural population share — Malawi, by year Malawi All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 82.4 −0.3 pp
2024 82.7 −0.3 pp
2023 83 −0.3 pp
2022 83.3 −0.2 pp
2021 83.5 −0.2 pp
2020 83.7 −0.2 pp
2019 83.9 −0.1 pp
2018 84 −0.1 pp
2017 84 −0.1 pp
2016 84.1 −0.1 pp
2015 84.2 −0.1 pp
2014 84.2 −0.1 pp
2013 84.3 −0.1 pp
2012 84.4 −0.1 pp
2011 84.4 −0.1 pp
2010 84.5 −0.1 pp
2009 84.6 −0.1 pp
2008 84.7 −0.1 pp
2007 84.8 −0.1 pp
2006 84.8 −0.1 pp
2005 84.9 −0.1 pp
2004 85 −0.1 pp
2003 85 −0.1 pp
2002 85.1 −0.1 pp
2001 85.2 −0.1 pp
2000 85.3 −0.1 pp
1999 85.4 −0.1 pp
1998 85.6 −0.2 pp
1997 85.8 −0.3 pp
1996 86 −0.3 pp
1995 86.4 −0.4 pp
1994 86.7 −0.4 pp
1993 87.1 −0.4 pp
1992 87.6 −0.4 pp
1991 88 −0.4 pp
1990 88.4 −0.4 pp
1989 88.8 −0.3 pp
1988 89.1 −0.3 pp
1987 89.4 −0.2 pp
1986 89.6 −0.2 pp
1985 89.9 −0.2 pp
1984 90.1 −0.2 pp
1983 90.3 −0.2 pp
1982 90.5 −0.2 pp
1981 90.7 −0.2 pp
1980 90.9 −0.2 pp
1979 91.1 −0.2 pp
1978 91.3 −0.3 pp
1977 91.6 −0.3 pp
1976 91.9 −0.4 pp
1975 92.2 −0.4 pp
1974 92.6 −0.4 pp
1973 93 −0.4 pp
1972 93.5 −0.4 pp
1971 93.9 −0.4 pp
1970 94.3 −0.4 pp
1969 94.6 −0.3 pp
1968 94.9 −0.2 pp
1967 95.2 −0.2 pp
1966 95.3 −0.1 pp
1965 95.4 −0.1 pp
1964 95.5 −0.1 pp
1963 95.7 −0.1 pp
1962 95.8 −0.1 pp
1961 95.9 −0.1 pp
1960 96 —

Eastern Africa, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

MW Malawi 82.4 SS South Sudan 78.3 ET Ethiopia 75.9 BI Burundi 74.3 RW Rwanda 69.1 UG Uganda 68.1 KE Kenya 67.8 MG Madagascar 67.1 KM Comoros 66.1 ER Eritrea 65.5 TZ Tanzania 63.1 MZ Mozambique 62.8 MU Mauritius 61 ZW Zimbabwe 59.5 SC Seychelles 54.5 ZM Zambia 54.1 SO Somalia 44.9 DJ Djibouti 27
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The share of population living outside urban settlements, as a percent of the total. It is computed as the difference between total and urban population, and therefore inherits every particularity of national definitions of urban areas.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.

Other indicators for Malawi

Demography Rural population

How many people live outside cities — in absolute numbers.

Malawi by year Demography Urban population share

What part of a country's residents lives in cities — the level of urbanization.

Malawi by year Labor Employment in agriculture

The share of workers employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Malawi by year Agriculture Agricultural land share

What part of the territory is used for arable land, permanent crops and pasture.

Malawi by year
All indicators for Malawi