Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Malawi

Urban population share in Malawi in 2025 — 17.6%. Ranked 214 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 13.6 pp.

2025 17.6% +0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank 214of 217
Period maximum 17.6%2025
Period minimum 4%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Malawi, 1960–20250510152019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 4%1962: 4.2%1964: 4.5%1966: 4.7%1968: 5.1%1970: 5.7%1972: 6.5%1974: 7.4%1976: 8.1%1978: 8.7%1980: 9.1%1982: 9.5%1984: 9.9%1986: 10.4%1988: 10.9%1990: 11.6%1992: 12.4%1994: 13.3%1996: 14%1998: 14.4%2000: 14.7%2002: 14.9%2004: 15%2006: 15.2%2008: 15.3%2010: 15.5%2012: 15.6%2014: 15.8%2016: 15.9%2018: 16%2020: 16.3%2022: 16.7%2024: 17.3%2025: 17.6%
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 17.6%
World 57.8%
Eastern Africa computed 31.8%
Low-income countries computed 35.6%
Urban population share — Malawi, by year Malawi All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 17.6 +0.3 pp
2024 17.3 +0.3 pp
2023 17 +0.3 pp
2022 16.7 +0.2 pp
2021 16.5 +0.2 pp
2020 16.3 +0.2 pp
2019 16.1 +0.1 pp
2018 16 +0.1 pp
2017 16 +0.1 pp
2016 15.9 +0.1 pp
2015 15.8 +0.1 pp
2014 15.8 +0.1 pp
2013 15.7 +0.1 pp
2012 15.6 +0.1 pp
2011 15.6 +0.1 pp
2010 15.5 +0.1 pp
2009 15.4 +0.1 pp
2008 15.3 +0.1 pp
2007 15.2 +0.1 pp
2006 15.2 +0.1 pp
2005 15.1 +0.1 pp
2004 15 +0.1 pp
2003 15 +0.1 pp
2002 14.9 +0.1 pp
2001 14.8 +0.1 pp
2000 14.7 +0.1 pp
1999 14.6 +0.1 pp
1998 14.4 +0.2 pp
1997 14.2 +0.3 pp
1996 14 +0.3 pp
1995 13.6 +0.4 pp
1994 13.3 +0.4 pp
1993 12.9 +0.4 pp
1992 12.4 +0.4 pp
1991 12 +0.4 pp
1990 11.6 +0.4 pp
1989 11.2 +0.3 pp
1988 10.9 +0.3 pp
1987 10.6 +0.2 pp
1986 10.4 +0.2 pp
1985 10.1 +0.2 pp
1984 9.9 +0.2 pp
1983 9.7 +0.2 pp
1982 9.5 +0.2 pp
1981 9.3 +0.2 pp
1980 9.1 +0.2 pp
1979 8.9 +0.2 pp
1978 8.7 +0.3 pp
1977 8.4 +0.3 pp
1976 8.1 +0.4 pp
1975 7.8 +0.4 pp
1974 7.4 +0.4 pp
1973 7 +0.4 pp
1972 6.5 +0.4 pp
1971 6.1 +0.4 pp
1970 5.7 +0.4 pp
1969 5.4 +0.3 pp
1968 5.1 +0.2 pp
1967 4.8 +0.2 pp
1966 4.7 +0.1 pp
1965 4.6 +0.1 pp
1964 4.5 +0.1 pp
1963 4.3 +0.1 pp
1962 4.2 +0.1 pp
1961 4.1 +0.1 pp
1960 4

About the indicator

The share of population living in urban settlements, as a percent of the total. One caveat is central: each country sets the criteria for a city itself — in some places it is a settlement of 2,000 residents or more, in others 20,000, in others administrative status. Cross-country comparisons of urbanization are therefore always approximate, while the trend within a single country is informative.

Important: Sharp jumps in individual years are usually explained not by people moving but by changes in the administrative boundaries of cities.

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