Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malawi
Malawi: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 15.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malawi, 1983–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2024, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malawi stood at 15.4%. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 209.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malawi peaked at 15.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1998.
Malawi ranks 11th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 5.4% | — |
| 1987 | 1.3% | -75.7% |
| 1998 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2004 | 4.5% | — |
| 2005 | 0.9% | -78.9% |
| 2011 | 1.7% | +84.3% |
| 2013 | 5.0% | +186.8% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | -24.3% |
| 2020 | 0.9% | -75.9% |
| 2024 | 15.4% | +1598.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.4% | 1.3% | 5.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 0.9% | 4.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 3.5% | 1.7% | 5.0% | 3 |
| 2020s | 8.2% | 0.9% | 15.4% | 2 |
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 unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malawi?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malawi was 15.4% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 15.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1998.
- How does Malawi rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Malawi ranks 11th out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) 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 Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.