Annual change in GDP and CO₂ emissions in Malawi
Malawi: Annual change in GDP and CO₂ emissions was 1.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual change in GDP and CO₂ emissions in Malawi, 1961–2025
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions in Malawi stood at 1.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.7% on the previous year and down 32.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions in Malawi peaked at 16.7% in 1995 and was at its lowest, -10.2%, in 1994.
That places Malawi 147th out of 212 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual change in GDP and CO₂ emissions in Malawi, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 7.6% | — |
| 1962 | 0.7% | -91.3% |
| 1963 | -1.4% | -308.1% |
| 1964 | 2.7% | -291.3% |
| 1965 | 13.6% | +411.7% |
| 1966 | 13.2% | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 7.3% | -45.0% |
| 1968 | -1.9% | -126.4% |
| 1969 | 5.9% | -405.9% |
| 1970 | 0.5% | -91.9% |
| 1971 | 16.2% | +3283.8% |
| 1972 | 6.2% | -61.6% |
| 1973 | 2.3% | -63.1% |
| 1974 | 7.2% | +211.9% |
| 1975 | 6.1% | -15.2% |
| 1976 | 5.0% | -17.9% |
| 1977 | 4.9% | -1.6% |
| 1978 | 9.7% | +98.1% |
| 1979 | 4.4% | -54.9% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | -90.7% |
| 1981 | -5.3% | -1400.6% |
| 1982 | 2.5% | -147.3% |
| 1983 | 3.7% | +48.5% |
| 1984 | 5.4% | +44.1% |
| 1985 | 4.6% | -14.7% |
| 1986 | -0.2% | -104.7% |
| 1987 | 1.6% | -856.6% |
| 1988 | 3.2% | +95.5% |
| 1989 | 1.3% | -57.7% |
| 1990 | 5.7% | +323.3% |
| 1991 | 8.7% | +53.4% |
| 1992 | -7.3% | -184.0% |
| 1993 | 9.7% | -232.2% |
| 1994 | -10.2% | -205.7% |
| 1995 | 16.7% | -263.4% |
| 1996 | 7.3% | -56.3% |
| 1997 | 3.8% | -48.2% |
| 1998 | 3.9% | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 3.0% | -21.9% |
| 2000 | 1.6% | -48.2% |
| 2001 | -5.0% | -415.7% |
| 2002 | 1.7% | -134.2% |
| 2003 | 5.7% | +235.6% |
| 2004 | 5.4% | -5.0% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | -39.7% |
| 2006 | 4.7% | +43.8% |
| 2007 | 9.6% | +104.3% |
| 2008 | 7.6% | -20.4% |
| 2009 | 8.3% | +9.0% |
| 2010 | 6.9% | -17.5% |
| 2011 | 4.9% | -28.2% |
| 2012 | 1.9% | -61.5% |
| 2013 | 5.4% | +184.8% |
| 2014 | 5.6% | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 2.8% | -50.2% |
| 2016 | 2.5% | -10.7% |
| 2017 | 4.0% | +60.0% |
| 2018 | 4.4% | +8.8% |
| 2019 | 5.7% | +31.3% |
| 2020 | 0.8% | -86.1% |
| 2021 | 4.6% | +474.4% |
| 2022 | 0.9% | -79.8% |
| 2023 | 1.9% | +111.2% |
| 2024 | 1.7% | -14.0% |
| 2025 | 1.9% | +12.7% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 1.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.8%, 39% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 1.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.6%, 41% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual change in GDP and CO₂ emissions in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | +3283.8% | 0.5% | 16.2% |
| 1981 | -1400.6% | 0.4% | -5.3% |
| 1987 | +856.6% | -0.2% | 1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.3% | -1.9% | 13.6% | 9 |
| 1970s | 6.3% | 0.5% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.7% | -5.3% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.1% | -10.2% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.3% | -5.0% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.4% | 1.9% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.0% | 0.8% | 4.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More climate change data for Malawi
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 415.04 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,106 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,501 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.06 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 89.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 3,185 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,819 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 366.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 10.64 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions in Malawi?
- Annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions in Malawi was 1.9% in 2025, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 16.7% in 1995.
- What is the lowest annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -10.2% in 1994.
- How does Malawi rank for annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions?
- Malawi ranks 147th out of 212 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in GDP and CO₂ emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage change in gross domestic product (GDP) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.