Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Malawi
Malawi: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) was 46.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Malawi, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Malawi is 46.2%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 12.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Malawi peaked at 69.0% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 46.2%, in 2025.
Malawi ranks 62nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 67.5% | — |
| 1991 | 67.9% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 68.2% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 68.5% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 68.7% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 68.8% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 68.9% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 68.9% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 69.0% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 69.0% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 68.9% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 68.8% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 68.7% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 68.7% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 68.6% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 68.6% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 67.2% | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 65.8% | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 64.3% | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 62.8% | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 61.3% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 59.7% | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 57.9% | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 56.2% | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 54.4% | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 52.6% | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 50.7% | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 48.9% | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 48.3% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 47.6% | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 56.9% | +19.4% |
| 2021 | 47.6% | -16.2% |
| 2022 | 47.1% | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 46.9% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 46.7% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 46.2% | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 68.5% | 67.5% | 69.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 67.2% | 62.8% | 68.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.8% | 47.6% | 61.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.6% | 46.2% | 56.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More work & labour data for Malawi
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4409 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4183 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 4.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 13,360 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 28,345 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 30,321 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 28,820 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 59,141 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Malawi?
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Malawi was 46.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 69.0% in 1999.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.2% in 2025.
- How does Malawi rank for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%)?
- Malawi ranks 62nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.