Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malawi

Malawi: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) was 41.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
41.9%
World rank
159th
of 178 countries
All-time high
93.8%
in 1983
All-time low
41.9%
in 2024
Years of data
10
1983–2024

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malawi, 1983–2024

0204060801001983200320241983: 93.81987: 64.61998: 79.62004: 84.62005: 802011: 72.12013: 73.82017: 61.12020: 67.62024: 41.9

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

The most recent figure for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malawi is 41.9%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 10 years on record.

The figure is down 43.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malawi peaked at 93.8% in 1983 and was at its lowest, 41.9%, in 2024.

That places Malawi 159th out of 178 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate) in Malawi, 1983 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1983 93.8%
1987 64.6% -31.1%
1998 79.6% +23.2%
2004 84.6% +6.3%
2005 80.0% -5.4%
2011 72.1% -9.9%
2013 73.8% +2.3%
2017 61.1% -17.2%
2020 67.6% +10.8%
2024 41.9% -38.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 79.2% 64.6% 93.8% 2
1990s 79.6% 79.6% 79.6% 1
2000s 82.3% 80.0% 84.6% 2
2010s 69.0% 61.1% 73.8% 3
2020s 54.8% 41.9% 67.6% 2

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 156 Liberia 43.9% compare
  2. 157 Guyana 43.6% compare
  3. 158 Senegal 42.0% compare
  4. 160 Samoa 41.6% compare
  5. 161 Tuvalu 40.7% compare
  6. 162 Tajikistan 39.7% compare

See the full ranking of 209 places →

More work & labour data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malawi?
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malawi was 41.9% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 93.8% in 1983.
What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 41.9% in 2024.
How does Malawi rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?
Malawi ranks 159th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
Is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is down 43.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/employment-to-population-ratio-15-total-percent-national-estimate/malawi/

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About this data

Indicator
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
209 places, 4,960 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.