Share of women who are married or in a union in Malawi
Malawi: Share of women who are married or in a union was 20.9% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Share of women who are married or in a union in Malawi, 1970–2020
Source: United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of women who are married or in a union in Malawi is 20.9%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.2% on the previous year and down 10.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are married or in a union in Malawi peaked at 39.6% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 20.9%, in 2020.
That places Malawi 21st out of 221 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Share of women who are married or in a union in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 39.6% | — |
| 1971 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 38.9% | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 38.2% | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 37.5% | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 36.8% | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 36.1% | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 35.4% | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 34.7% | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 34.0% | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 33.2% | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 32.5% | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 31.8% | -2.2% |
| 1999 | 31.1% | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 30.4% | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 29.7% | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 29.0% | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 28.3% | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 27.6% | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 26.9% | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 26.2% | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 25.5% | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 24.8% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 24.1% | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 23.4% | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 23.1% | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 22.9% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 22.6% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 22.4% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 22.1% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 21.9% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 21.6% | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 21.4% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 21.1% | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 20.9% | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 39.6% | 39.6% | 39.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 39.4% | 38.2% | 39.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.3% | 31.1% | 37.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.3% | 24.1% | 30.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.3% | 21.1% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.9% | 20.9% | 20.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
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)
- 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)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 318,049 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 310,624 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 312,186 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are married or in a union in Malawi?
- Share of women who are married or in a union in Malawi was 20.9% in 2020, according to United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 39.6% in 1970.
- What is the lowest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.9% in 2020.
- How does Malawi rank for share of women who are married or in a union?
- Malawi ranks 21st out of 221 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of women who are married or in a union rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women who are married or in a union. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of women aged 15-19 sharing a household with their partner, whether married, cohabiting, in consensual partnerships, or in other non-marital unions.