Gender Development Index vs. Human Development Index in Malawi
Malawi: Gender Development Index vs. Human Development Index was 0.925 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Gender Development Index vs. Human Development Index in Malawi, 1998–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 0.925 for gender development index vs. human development index in 2023.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender development index vs. human development index in Malawi peaked at 0.934 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.855, in 1998.
Malawi ranks 145th of 183 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Gender Development Index vs. Human Development Index in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 0.855 | — |
| 1999 | 0.861 | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 0.868 | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 0.868 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.87 | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 0.879 | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 0.88 | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 0.872 | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 0.88 | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 0.877 | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 0.88 | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 0.885 | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 0.898 | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 0.9 | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 0.905 | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 0.899 | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 0.913 | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 0.914 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 0.917 | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 0.924 | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 0.925 | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.926 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 0.934 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 0.929 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 0.927 | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 0.925 | -0.2% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 0.925 is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.8795, 1.1× the median. (20 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 0.925 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.924, 1.0× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.858 | 0.855 | 0.861 | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.8759 | 0.868 | 0.885 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9121 | 0.898 | 0.926 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9288 | 0.925 | 0.934 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 142 Solomon Islands 0.927 compare
- 143 Papua New Guinea 0.926 compare
- 143 Tajikistan 0.926 compare
- 146 Congo 0.924 compare
- 146 Senegal 0.924 compare
- 148 Rwanda 0.922 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 gender development index vs. human development index in Malawi?
- Gender development index vs. human development index in Malawi was 0.925 in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gender development index vs. human development index recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 0.934 in 2020.
- What is the lowest gender development index vs. human development index recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.855 in 1998.
- How does Malawi rank for gender development index vs. human development index?
- Malawi ranks 145th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gender development index vs. human development index rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gender Development Index vs. Human Development Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The Gender Development Index (GDI) measures gender inequalities in the achievement of key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, a good education, and a decent standard of living.