Fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in Malawi

Malawi: Fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate was 44.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
44.8%
World rank
146th
of 194 countries
All-time high
88.1%
in 2004
All-time low
44.8%
in 2024
Years of data
11
1975–2024

Fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in Malawi, 1975–2024

0204060801975199920241975: 62.1 %1983: 86.2 %1987: 75.3 %1998: 75.5 %2004: 88.1 %2005: 78.1 %2011: 68.7 %2013: 72.8 %2017: 58.9 %2020: 63.2 %2024: 44.8 %

Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Malawi recorded 44.8% for fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.

The figure is down 38.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in Malawi peaked at 88.1% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 44.8%, in 2024.

Malawi ranks 146th of 194 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 62.1% 62.1% 62.1% 1
1980s 80.8% 75.3% 86.2% 2
1990s 75.5% 75.5% 75.5% 1
2000s 83.1% 78.1% 88.1% 2
2010s 66.8% 58.9% 72.8% 3
2020s 54.0% 44.8% 63.2% 2

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 143 Mali 45.5% compare
  2. 144 Suriname 45.3% compare
  3. 145 Dominica 45.1% compare
  4. 147 Costa Rica 44.1% compare
  5. 148 Liberia 43.6% compare
  6. 149 Bahrain 43.5% compare

See the full ranking of 194 places →

More work & labour data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in Malawi?
Fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in Malawi was 44.8% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 88.1% in 2004.
What is the lowest fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 44.8% in 2024.
How does Malawi rank for fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate?
Malawi ranks 146th out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
Is fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is down 38.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate
Unit
%
Source
Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
194 places, 4,756 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.