Income share held by highest 20% in Malawi
Malawi: Income share held by highest 20% was 46.2% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Income share held by highest 20% 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
In 2019, income share held by highest 20% in Malawi stood at 46.2%. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
That represents a change of down 10.6% on the previous year and down 10.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share held by highest 20% in Malawi peaked at 70.3% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 46.2%, in 2019.
Malawi ranks 30th of 123 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Income share held by highest 20% in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 70.3% | — |
| 2004 | 47.5% | -32.4% |
| 2010 | 51.8% | +9.1% |
| 2016 | 51.7% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 46.2% | -10.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 46.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 45.0%, 1.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 46.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 45.2%, 1.0× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 70.3% | 70.3% | 70.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 47.5% | 47.5% | 47.5% | 1 |
| 2010s | 49.9% | 46.2% | 51.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
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 income share held by highest 20% in Malawi?
- Income share held by highest 20% in Malawi was 46.2% 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 income share held by highest 20% recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 70.3% in 1997.
- What is the lowest income share held by highest 20% recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.2% in 2019.
- How does Malawi rank for income share held by highest 20%?
- Malawi ranks 30th out of 123 countries with data for 2019.
- Is income share held by highest 20% rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.8%. 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 Income share held by highest 20%. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.