Labor force participation rate in Malawi
Malawi: Labor force participation rate was 62.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Malawi, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in Malawi stood at 62.6%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and down 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Malawi peaked at 80.9% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 62.6%, in 2025.
Malawi ranks 86th 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 in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 80.7% | — |
| 1991 | 80.7% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 80.8% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 80.8% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 80.8% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 80.8% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 80.8% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 80.8% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 80.9% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 80.9% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 80.8% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 80.8% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 80.8% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 80.8% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 80.8% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 80.8% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 79.7% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 78.5% | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 77.3% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 76.0% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 74.7% | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 73.4% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 71.8% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 70.3% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 68.6% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 67.0% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 65.2% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 63.5% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 63.4% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 63.3% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 68.3% | +7.9% |
| 2021 | 62.9% | -7.8% |
| 2022 | 63.1% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 63.0% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 62.9% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 62.6% | -0.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 62.6% is below the median for low income countries, which is 67.0%, 93% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 62.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.3%, 97% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 80.8% | 80.7% | 80.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 79.7% | 76.0% | 80.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.1% | 63.3% | 74.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.8% | 62.6% | 68.3% | 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 in Malawi?
- Labor force participation rate in Malawi was 62.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 80.9% in 1999.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.6% in 2025.
- How does Malawi rank for labor force participation rate?
- Malawi ranks 86th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).