SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Malawi

Malawi: SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) was 15.41 in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
15.41
World rank
12th
of 179 countries
All-time high
15.41
in 2024
All-time low
0.907
in 2020
Years of data
7
2004–2024

SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Malawi, 2004–2024

0510152004201420242004: 4.52005: 0.9422011: 1.72013: 52017: 3.82020: 0.9072024: 15.4

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

Malawi recorded 15.41 for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in 2024. That is the highest value across all 7 years on record.

That represents a change of up 209.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Malawi peaked at 15.41 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.907, in 2020.

That places Malawi 12th out of 179 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) in Malawi, 2004 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2004 4.46
2005 0.942 -78.9%
2011 1.74 +84.3%
2013 4.98 +186.8%
2017 3.77 -24.3%
2020 0.907 -75.9%
2024 15.41 +1598.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 2.7 0.942 4.46 2
2010s 3.49 1.74 4.98 3
2020s 8.16 0.907 15.41 2

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 9 Martinique 17.6 compare
  2. 10 Jordan 16.8 compare
  3. 11 Iraq 16.17 compare
  4. 13 Tunisia 15.11 compare
  5. 14 Syrian Arab Republic 14.9 compare
  6. 15 Yemen 13.47 compare

See the full ranking of 266 places →

More work & labour data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Malawi?
Sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Malawi was 15.41 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 15.41 in 2024.
What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 0.907 in 2020.
How does Malawi rank for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition)?
Malawi ranks 12th out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
Is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is up 209.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 7 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/sdg-indicator-8-5-2-unemployment-rate-previous-ilo-definition-icls13-15/malawi/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/sdg-indicator-8-5-2-unemployment-rate-previous-ilo-definition-icls13-15/malawi/">SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Malawi</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
266 places, 5,648 data points, 2000–2027
Last refreshed

Data may differ from nationally reported figures and the Global SDG Indicators Database due to differences in sources and/or reference years. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the Labour Market-related SDG Indicators (ILOSDG) database description.