Name
The name Malawi comes from the Maravi people; the word "maravi" means "flames".
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Country
Malawi
13.39° S, 33.61° E
No coast at all — every one of its 2,857 km of border is shared with another country.
coastline 0 km · 185th/229 · land borders 2,857 km · 67th/230
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
- Population
- 18,628,747
- Natural Earth population estimate.
- Area
- 118,484 km²
- Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 119,344 km².
- Population density
- ≈ 156 / km²
- Population divided by the computed boundary area.
- ISO codes
- MW · MWI
- GDP (nominal)
- $11.01 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $1,600
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Malawi 118,484 km²Portugal 92,090 km²
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Where Malawi sits in the world
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
- Median age19.4 years204th of 224 · median 32.6 years
- Life expectancy73 years151st of 224 · median 76.2 years
- Fertility rate3.33 children per woman40th of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
- Population18,628,74763rd of 235 · median 5,454,073
- Total area118,484 km²100th of 228 · median 83,736 km²
- Coastline0 km185th of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
Geography
Lake Nyasa, the country's most prominent physical feature, lies within landlocked Malawi. It lies east of Zambia and west and north of Mozambique. Malawi's terrain forms a narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, and some mountains. Lake Nyasa contains more fish species than any other lake on earth.
Its natural resources include limestone, arable land, hydropower, and unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite. Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) is the country's highest point. The country's lowest point is at the junction of the Shire River and the international boundary with Mozambique.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
People and society
Chewa, Lomwe, Yao, Ngoni, Tumbuka, Sena, Mang'anja, Tonga, Nyanja, Nkhonde, and others form part of Malawi's ethnic makeup.
Religious affiliations include Protestant, Roman Catholic, other Christian, Muslim, and traditionalist affiliations, along with people with no religious affiliation. Protestant affiliations include Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, Seventh Day Adventist/Baptist, Pentecostal, and Anglican. Population density is highest south of Lake Nyasa, as shown in the population distribution map.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Government
The government is a presidential republic. Its legal system combines English common law and customary law; the Supreme Court of Appeal reviews legislative acts. The latest constitution entered into force 18 May 1995, after being drafted January to May 1994 and approved 16 May 1994. Malawi gained independence from the UK on 6 July 1964. Its national holiday is Independence Day, 6 July (1964).
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
- GDP (nominal)
- $11.01 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP (PPP)
- $35.43 billion
- Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $1,600
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP growth
- +1.8%
- Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Inflation (consumer prices)
- 32.2%
- Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Unemployment
- 5.1%
- Field “Economy → Unemployment rate → Unemployment rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Exports
- $1.53 billion
- Field “Economy → Exports → Exports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Imports
- $4 billion
- Field “Economy → Imports → Imports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
- Life expectancy
- 73 years
- Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Median age
- 19.4 years
- Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Birth rate
- 28.04 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Death rate
- 3.57 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Fertility rate
- 3.33 children per woman
- Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Population growth
- +2.16% a year
- Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Urban population
- 18.3%
- Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Literacy
- 70.2%
- Field “People and Society → Literacy → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Languages
- Englishofficial
- Chewa
- Lambya
- Lomwe
- Ngoni
- Nkhonde
- Nyakyusa
- Nyanja
- Sena
- Tonga
- Tumbuka
- Yao
- Field “People and Society → Languages” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Religions
- Protestant33.5%includes Church of Central Africa Presbyterian 14.2%, Seventh Day Adventist/Baptist 9.4%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 2.3%
- Roman Catholic17.2%
- Muslim13.8%
- traditionalist1.1%
- other2.1%
- Field “People and Society → Religions” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
- Total area
- 118,484 km²Land 94,080 km² · Water 24,404 km²
- Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Coastline
- 0 km
- Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Land borders
- 2,857 km
- Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Mean elevation
- 779 m
- Field “Geography → Elevation → mean elevation” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Highest point
- 3,002 m Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje)
- Field “Geography → Elevation → highest point” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.
Connections
Natural geography 1
Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID
Lakes 1
Largest cities 7
Population · Natural Earth