Malawi Population

Malawi has high fertility, though it has been declining, and a very young, largely rural population. As one of the world's poorest and most densely populated agricultural countries, it faces intense pressure on farmland as numbers grow. The speed of further fertility decline will shape how severe that land squeeze becomes.

With roughly 22.5 million people as of 2026, Malawi ranks 62nd in the world by population. Set in Eastern Africa, its demographic path this century turns on the balance of births, deaths and migration. Population density stands at about 241 people for every square kilometre of land.

Growth continues for Malawi until around 2100, the year its population is set to crest at about 59.0 million. From there a slow fall takes it to roughly 59.0 million by century's end. It is projected to pass the 50 million mark around 2074.

With about 3.59 births per woman, Malawi still has one of the higher fertility rates in the world, driving fast expansion.

Half of Malawi is currently younger than about 18, but by 2100 the median age is projected to reach around 37, while life expectancy, near 68 years, keeps rising. For now it remains one of the world's youngest populations, with a large generation about to reach working age. An older population gradually reshapes the labour force, pension systems and healthcare demand.

Read these numbers as the midpoint of a range. Under the UN's high and low fertility paths Malawi's 2100 population could land well above or below the figures here; the medium variant is simply the central case.