Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Malawi
Malawi: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 67.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Malawi, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Malawi stood at 67.3%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Malawi peaked at 83.9% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 67.3%, in 2025.
That places Malawi 118th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 83.2% | — |
| 1991 | 83.4% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 83.5% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 83.7% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 83.8% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 83.8% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 83.8% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 83.8% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 83.9% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 83.9% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 83.8% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 83.8% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 83.8% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 83.7% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 83.7% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 83.7% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 82.9% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 82.1% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 81.2% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 80.3% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 79.4% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 78.4% | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 77.0% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 75.4% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 73.8% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 72.1% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 70.4% | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 68.6% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 68.3% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 67.9% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 73.9% | +8.8% |
| 2021 | 67.4% | -8.7% |
| 2022 | 67.8% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 67.7% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 67.7% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 67.3% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 83.7% | 83.2% | 83.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 82.9% | 80.3% | 83.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.1% | 67.9% | 79.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.6% | 67.3% | 73.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 115 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 67.5% compare
- 116 Czechia 67.5% compare
- 117 Hungary 67.5% compare
- 119 Equatorial Guinea 67.2% compare
- 120 Iran, Islamic Republic of 67.2% compare
- 121 United States of America 67.1% compare
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, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Malawi?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Malawi was 67.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 83.9% in 1999.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.3% in 2025.
- How does Malawi rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- Malawi ranks 118th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.6%. 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, male (% of male population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.