Country profile
Malawi
Republic of Malawi · Eastern Africa
👥 Population
22,216,120
World Bank · 2025
🏛 Capital
Lilongwe
🗺 Area
118,484 km²
💹 GDP (nominal)
$14.92B
World Bank · 2025
📈 HDI
0.517
UNDP · 2023
📍 Pop. density
188 /km²
💱 Currency
MWK
Malawian kwacha
🗣 Languages
English, Chewa
About Malawi
Malawi (officially Republic of Malawi) is a country in Eastern Africa, with Lilongwe as its capital. It is home to roughly 22.22 million people, giving a population density of about 188 people per square kilometre. The country covers 118,484 km² of land and shares land borders with 3 neighbouring countries. Its economy is valued at approximately $14.92B in nominal GDP (2025), and it records a Human Development Index of 0.517. The official currency is the Malawian kwacha (MWK), and the main languages are English, Chewa.
Key indicators
Latest available data · World Bank & UNDP.
💹 Economy
GDP (PPP)
$40.23B
GDP/capita (PPP)
$1,858
GDP growth
1.9%
Inflation
28.4%
Unemployment
5.1%
👥 People
Life expectancy
67.6 yrs
Fertility rate
3.59
Pop. growth
2.6%
Urban population
17.6%
Infant mortality /1k
38
🌍 Quality of Life
Internet users
19.0%
Literacy rate
70.2%
Physicians /1k
0.05
Renewable energy
62.9%
Travel & practical
Capital
Lilongwe
Currency
MWK
Dialing code
+265
Internet TLD
.mw
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Fun facts about Malawi
- Malawi is the 60th most populous country in the world, with about 22.22 million people.
- By land area it is the 98th-largest country in the world, covering 118,484 km².
- It has the world's 145th-largest economy by nominal GDP ($14.92B).
- Malawi shares land borders with 3 countries.
- It is classed by the UN as a country of low human development, with an HDI of 0.517.
- Malawi has a population density of about 188 people per square kilometre.
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