Malawi vs Upper middle income: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force)

Malawi
15.4%
in 2024
Upper middle income
5.4%
in 2022
Malawi rank
11th
Upper middle income rank
11th

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) over time

  • Malawi
  • Upper middle income
051015198320032024

How they compare

Malawi currently reports 15.4% against 5.4% in Upper middle income, a difference of 10.0%.

That makes Malawi's figure about 2.9 times Upper middle income's.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 7 shared years of data; in 1998 it was Upper middle income ahead.

Malawi ranks 11th and Upper middle income ranks 11th of 187 countries.

Upper middle income has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Malawi Upper middle income Difference Ahead
1990s 0.0% 4.4% 4.4% Upper middle income
2000s 2.7% 4.5% 1.8% Upper middle income
2010s 3.5% 4.7% 1.2% Upper middle income
2020s 0.9% 6.7% 5.7% Upper middle income

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher unemployment, total (% of total labor force), Malawi or Upper middle income?
Malawi, at 15.4% against 5.4% in Upper middle income as of 2024.
What is the difference in unemployment, total (% of total labor force) between Malawi and Upper middle income?
10.0%, with Malawi ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Malawi and Upper middle income?
7 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2020.
How do Malawi and Upper middle income rank globally for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
Malawi ranks 11th and Upper middle income ranks 11th of 187 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Malawi vs Upper middle income: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force). Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/compare/unemployment-total-percent-of-total-labor-force-national-estimate/malawi/upper-middle-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
220 places, 6,054 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.