Gini index in Malawi
Malawi: Gini index was 38.5 in 2019. ▼ Falling
Gini index in Malawi, 1997–2019
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 38.5 for gini index in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
The figure is down 13.9% on the previous year and down 15.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gini index in Malawi peaked at 65.8 in 1997 and was at its lowest, 38.5, in 2019.
That places Malawi 37th out of 123 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
Gini index in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 65.8 | — |
| 2004 | 39.9 | -39.4% |
| 2010 | 45.5 | +14.0% |
| 2016 | 44.7 | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 38.5 | -13.9% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 38.5 is above the median for low income countries, which is 37.4, 1.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 38.5 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 37.7, 1.0× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 65.8 | 65.8 | 65.8 | 1 |
| 2000s | 39.9 | 39.9 | 39.9 | 1 |
| 2010s | 42.9 | 38.5 | 45.5 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 34 Philippines 39.3 compare
- 35 Dominican Republic 39 compare
- 36 Gambia 38.8 compare
- 37 Kenya 38.5 compare
- 39 Israel 38.3 compare
- 39 Kosovo 38.3 compare
- 39 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 38.3 compare
More poverty & inequality data for Malawi
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (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)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -4.49 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 15.06 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 15.1% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gini index in Malawi?
- Gini index in Malawi was 38.5 in 2019, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest gini index recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 65.8 in 1997.
- What is the lowest gini index recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.5 in 2019.
- How does Malawi rank for gini index?
- Malawi ranks 37th out of 123 countries with data for 2019.
- Is gini index rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.4%. 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. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Gini index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality.