Adult Literacy Rate in Malawi
Malawi: Adult Literacy Rate was 68.08 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
68.08
Change on year
down 3.0%
World rank
91st
of 110 countries
All-time high
76.72
in 2018
All-time low
48.54
in 1987
Years of data
9
1987–2022
Adult Literacy Rate in Malawi, 1987–2022
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
In 2022, adult literacy rate in Malawi stood at 68.08.
The figure is down 3.0% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate in Malawi peaked at 76.72 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 48.54, in 1987.
That places Malawi 91st out of 110 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Adult Literacy Rate in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 48.54 | — |
| 1998 | 64.13 | +32.1% |
| 2010 | 61.31 | -4.4% |
| 2014 | 65.15 | +6.3% |
| 2015 | 62.14 | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 72.83 | +17.2% |
| 2018 | 76.72 | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 70.15 | -8.6% |
| 2022 | 68.08 | -3.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 68.08 is above the median for low income countries, which is 61.06, 1.1× the median. (18 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 68.08 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 69.45, 98% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 48.54 | 48.54 | 48.54 | 1 |
| 1990s | 64.13 | 64.13 | 64.13 | 1 |
| 2010s | 67.63 | 61.31 | 76.72 | 5 |
| 2020s | 69.12 | 68.08 | 70.15 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 88 East Timor 69.4 compare
- 89 Democratic Republic of Congo 68.5 compare
- 90 Angola 68.18 compare
- 92 Haiti 68.01 compare
- 93 Mauritania 66.96 compare
- 94 Guinea-Bissau 63.93 compare
More gender data for Malawi
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 9,494 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.4 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 15,667 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 15,667 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.13 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 330,369 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 332,767 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 322,764 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 324,764 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 316,113 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate in Malawi?
- Adult literacy rate in Malawi was 68.08 in 2022, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 76.72 in 2018.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.54 in 1987.
- How does Malawi rank for adult literacy rate?
- Malawi ranks 91st out of 110 countries with data for 2022.
- Is adult literacy rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Adult Literacy Rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
Gender-disaggregated data on educational outcomes.