Population in the largest city in Malawi
Malawi: Population in the largest city was 35.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
35.6%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
56th
of 153 countries
All-time high
55.5%
in 1967
All-time low
31.1%
in 2007
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in the largest city in Malawi, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in the largest city in Malawi is 35.6%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Malawi peaked at 55.5% in 1967 and was at its lowest, 31.1%, in 2007.
That places Malawi 56th out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 34.2% | — |
| 1961 | 37.1% | +8.4% |
| 1962 | 40.2% | +8.3% |
| 1963 | 43.5% | +8.2% |
| 1964 | 47.0% | +8.1% |
| 1965 | 50.8% | +8.1% |
| 1966 | 54.9% | +8.1% |
| 1967 | 55.5% | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 55.0% | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 53.9% | -2.0% |
| 1970 | 52.5% | -2.5% |
| 1971 | 51.1% | -2.8% |
| 1972 | 49.7% | -2.8% |
| 1973 | 48.4% | -2.6% |
| 1974 | 47.3% | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 46.5% | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 45.9% | -1.2% |
| 1977 | 45.7% | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 44.9% | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 43.9% | -2.1% |
| 1980 | 43.0% | -2.0% |
| 1981 | 42.2% | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 41.4% | -1.8% |
| 1983 | 40.7% | -1.8% |
| 1984 | 40.0% | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 39.3% | -1.7% |
| 1986 | 38.7% | -1.7% |
| 1987 | 37.6% | -2.9% |
| 1988 | 36.0% | -4.2% |
| 1989 | 34.6% | -4.0% |
| 1990 | 33.4% | -3.5% |
| 1991 | 32.4% | -2.7% |
| 1992 | 31.6% | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 31.3% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 31.9% | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 32.2% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 32.0% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 32.0% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 32.0% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 32.0% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 31.8% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 31.7% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 31.7% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 31.6% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 31.5% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 31.4% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 31.3% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 31.1% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 31.3% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 31.6% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 31.8% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 32.1% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 32.4% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 32.8% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 33.1% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 33.5% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 33.9% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 34.3% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 34.7% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 35.0% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 35.2% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 35.4% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 35.6% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 35.6% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 35.6% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 35.6% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 47.2% | 34.2% | 55.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 47.6% | 43.9% | 52.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 39.4% | 34.6% | 43.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.1% | 31.3% | 33.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.5% | 31.1% | 31.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.4% | 31.8% | 35.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.5% | 35.2% | 35.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More urban development data for Malawi
- Population density 223.85 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 16.72 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.0627 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 1.39 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 4.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 13.54 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 1.39 million (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 34.7 Hectares (2020)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Malawi?
- Population in the largest city in Malawi was 35.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 55.5% in 1967.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.1% in 2007.
- How does Malawi rank for population in the largest city?
- Malawi ranks 56th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.