nature
Lake Malawi is home to more freshwater fish species than any other lake on Earth, with over 1,000 species of cichlid alone.
Malawi
Republic of Malawi
Population, GDP, and key facts about Malawi — updated for 2026.
Capital · LILONGWEContinent · AFRICAISO · MWI
Malawi quick facts
- Population
- 21,655,286
- Area
- 118,480 km²
- Population density
- 224 people/km²
- GDP
- US$ 11.3 Billion
- GDP per capita
- US$ 522.4
- Capital
- Lilongwe
- Currency
- Malawian kwacha (MK, MWK)
- Minimum wage
- US$ 77.5/month · MK 90,000/month (2024)
- Languages
- English, Chewa
Malawi at human scale
Where does Malawi rank in the world?
Compare Malawi with other countries
🇲🇼 vs 🇿🇲Compare Malawi vs Zambia🇲🇼 vs 🇲🇷Compare Malawi vs Mauritania4.2× difference in population🇲🇼 vs 🇱🇰Compare Malawi vs Sri Lanka
Compare Malawi with any country →Malawi's energy mix
Fossil fuels · 4%Renewables · 96%
- Hydropower92%
- Oil4%
- Bioenergy3%
- Solar1%
Share of Malawi's own electricity generation by source, 2024. Source: Our World in Data (Ember Yearly Electricity Data and the Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy).
Everything we know about Malawi
Countries near Malawi
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Fill the Country →Frequently asked questions about Malawi
What is the capital of Malawi?
The capital of Malawi is Lilongwe.
What is Malawi's population?
Malawi has a population of 21,655,286.
What is Malawi's GDP per capita?
Malawi's GDP per capita is US$ 522.4.
What is the currency of Malawi?
The currency of Malawi is the Malawian kwacha (MWK).
What is the minimum wage in Malawi?
Malawi's statutory minimum wage is about US$ 77.5 per month (as of 2024) — MK 90,000 per month in local currency.
Is Malawi bigger than Zambia?
Zambia is about 6.4× the size of Malawi by land area.
Data from the World Bank, updated November 2026.