Labor force — all countries

Labor force — Malawi

Labor force in Malawi in 2025 — 8,323,726 people. Ranked 61 in the world out of 182. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 98.1%.

2025 8.32M people +3.02% vs 2024
World rank 61of 182
Period maximum 8.32M people2025
Period minimum 4.2M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — Malawi, 1990–20254M6M8M10M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 4,202,672 people1991: 4,320,767 people1992: 4,435,670 people1993: 4,489,831 people1994: 4,429,803 people1995: 4,418,806 people1996: 4,505,137 people1997: 4,595,359 people1998: 4,692,630 people1999: 4,803,402 people2000: 4,924,494 people2001: 5,048,546 people2002: 5,175,917 people2003: 5,309,996 people2004: 5,451,420 people2005: 5,599,129 people2006: 5,674,340 people2007: 5,749,113 people2008: 5,820,422 people2009: 5,889,253 people2010: 5,958,706 people2011: 6,026,641 people2012: 6,082,605 people2013: 6,138,043 people2014: 6,192,255 people2015: 6,242,829 people2016: 6,291,731 people2017: 6,338,147 people2018: 6,554,638 people2019: 6,781,042 people2020: 7,584,986 people2021: 7,249,519 people2022: 7,532,800 people2023: 7,802,263 people2024: 8,079,939 people2025: 8,323,726 people
Change over the period: +4.12M (+98.06%) Average annual rate: 1.97 %

Comparison, 2025

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

Malawi 8.32M people
World 3.74B people
Sub-Saharan Africa 527M people
Eastern Africa computed 214M people
Low-income countries computed 275M people
Labor force — Malawi, by year Malawi All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 8.32M +243,787 +3.02%
2024 8.08M +277,676 +3.56%
2023 7.8M +269,463 +3.58%
2022 7.53M +283,281 +3.91%
2021 7.25M −335,467 −4.42%
2020 7.58M +803,944 +11.86%
2019 6.78M +226,404 +3.45%
2018 6.55M +216,491 +3.42%
2017 6.34M +46,416 +0.74%
2016 6.29M +48,902 +0.78%
2015 6.24M +50,574 +0.82%
2014 6.19M +54,212 +0.88%
2013 6.14M +55,438 +0.91%
2012 6.08M +55,964 +0.93%
2011 6.03M +67,935 +1.14%
2010 5.96M +69,453 +1.18%
2009 5.89M +68,831 +1.18%
2008 5.82M +71,309 +1.24%
2007 5.75M +74,773 +1.32%
2006 5.67M +75,211 +1.34%
2005 5.6M +147,709 +2.71%
2004 5.45M +141,424 +2.66%
2003 5.31M +134,079 +2.59%
2002 5.18M +127,371 +2.52%
2001 5.05M +124,052 +2.52%
2000 4.92M +121,092 +2.52%
1999 4.8M +110,772 +2.36%
1998 4.69M +97,271 +2.12%
1997 4.6M +90,222 +2%
1996 4.51M +86,331 +1.95%
1995 4.42M −10,997 −0.25%
1994 4.43M −60,028 −1.34%
1993 4.49M +54,161 +1.22%
1992 4.44M +114,903 +2.66%
1991 4.32M +118,095 +2.81%
1990 4.2M

About the indicator

The economically active population — everyone aged 15 and over who either works or actively looks for work. It covers the employed, the unemployed and first-time job seekers; it leaves out students, homemakers and other people who do not offer their labor on the market. The size of the labor force is the basic constraint on the growth potential of an economy.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.