Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Malawi
Malawi: Distribution of population between different poverty lines was 327,408 people in 2019. ▼ Falling
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Malawi, 1997–2019
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2019, distribution of population between different poverty lines in Malawi stood at 327,408 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 19.0% on the previous year and down 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, distribution of population between different poverty lines in Malawi peaked at 492,178 people in 1997 and was at its lowest, 260,352 people, in 2004.
That places Malawi 118th out of 120 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 492,178 people | 492,178 people | 492,178 people | 1 |
| 2000s | 260,352 people | 260,352 people | 260,352 people | 1 |
| 2010s | 389,709 people | 327,408 people | 437,276 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 115 Montenegro 497,359 people compare
- 116 Iceland 358,345 people compare
- 117 Gambia 343,888 people compare
- 119 Burundi 213,879 people compare
- 120 Guinea-Bissau 97,697 people compare
More poverty & inequality data for Malawi
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 surveys (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 3.65 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 1,857 kg per hectare (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 15.1% (2023)
- Gender Inequality Index 0.581 (2023)
- Share of government consumption in GDP vs. share of population living in extreme poverty 7.4% (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient in women 0.1477 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient by sex 0.1477 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient in men 0.1766 (2023)
- Income inequality: Atkinson index 0.3925 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is distribution of population between different poverty lines in Malawi?
- Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Malawi was 327,408 people in 2019, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 492,178 people in 1997.
- What is the lowest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 260,352 people in 2004.
- How does Malawi rank for distribution of population between different poverty lines?
- Malawi ranks 118th out of 120 countries with data for 2019.
- Is distribution of population between different poverty lines rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Distribution of population between different poverty lines. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Number of people living in households with an income or consumption above $10 per day.