Total Fertility Rate in Malawi
Malawi: Total Fertility Rate was 3.85 in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
3.85
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
34th
of 197 countries
All-time high
7.57
in 1980
All-time low
3.85
in 2022
Years of data
63
1960–2022
Total Fertility Rate in Malawi, 1960–2022
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
In 2022, total fertility rate in Malawi stood at 3.85. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 21.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total fertility rate in Malawi peaked at 7.57 in 1980 and was at its lowest, 3.85, in 2022.
Malawi ranks 34th of 197 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Total Fertility Rate in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 7.03 | — |
| 1961 | 7.07 | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 7.1 | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 7.12 | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 7.09 | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 7.11 | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 7.16 | +0.7% |
| 1967 | 7.22 | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 7.28 | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 7.29 | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 7.32 | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 7.33 | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 7.35 | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 7.36 | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 7.37 | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 7.4 | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 7.43 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 7.46 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 7.48 | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 7.51 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 7.57 | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 7.54 | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 7.51 | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 7.43 | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 7.36 | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 7.29 | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 7.22 | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 7.15 | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 7.02 | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 6.91 | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 6.81 | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 6.72 | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 6.65 | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 6.58 | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 6.51 | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 6.42 | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 6.31 | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 6.26 | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 6.24 | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 6.15 | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 6.04 | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 5.99 | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 5.96 | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 5.94 | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 5.93 | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 5.91 | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 5.84 | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 5.74 | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 5.61 | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 5.45 | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 5.27 | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 5.11 | -3.2% |
| 2012 | 4.92 | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 4.78 | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 4.61 | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 4.45 | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 4.31 | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 4.22 | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 4.14 | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 4.07 | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 4 | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 3.92 | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 3.85 | -1.7% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 3.85 is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.47, 86% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 3.85 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.17, 92% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.15 | 7.03 | 7.29 | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.4 | 7.32 | 7.51 | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.3 | 6.91 | 7.57 | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.46 | 6.15 | 6.81 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.84 | 5.45 | 6.04 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.59 | 4.07 | 5.27 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.92 | 3.85 | 4 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 31 Comoros 3.91 compare
- 32 Sierra Leone 3.88 compare
- 33 Samoa 3.88 compare
- 35 Madagascar 3.79 compare
- 36 Eritrea 3.79 compare
- 37 Sao Tome and Principe 3.75 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 total fertility rate in Malawi?
- Total fertility rate in Malawi was 3.85 in 2022, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest total fertility rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 7.57 in 1980.
- What is the lowest total fertility rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.85 in 2022.
- How does Malawi rank for total fertility rate?
- Malawi ranks 34th out of 197 countries with data for 2022.
- Is total fertility rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Total Fertility Rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Gender-disaggregated data on health outcomes.