Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malawi
Malawi: Total shortfall from extreme poverty was 7.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2019. ▲ Rising
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malawi, 1997–2019
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
In 2019, total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malawi stood at 7.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
That represents a change of up 20.5% on the previous year and up 24.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malawi peaked at 7.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2019 and was at its lowest, 3.01 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1997.
Malawi ranks 11th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malawi, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 3.01 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 2004 | 4.46 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +48.4% |
| 2010 | 5.69 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +27.6% |
| 2016 | 5.89 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 7.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +20.5% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 7.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.50 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, 1.6× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 7.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.29 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, 2.2× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.01 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.01 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.01 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
| 2000s | 4.46 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 4.46 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 4.46 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
| 2010s | 6.23 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 5.69 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 7.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 8 Madagascar 9.14 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 9 Zambia 8.77 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 10 Kenya 8.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 12 Ghana 5.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 13 Niger 5.08 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 14 Burundi 4.50 billion international-$ in 2021 prices 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 total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malawi?
- Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malawi was 7.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2019, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 7.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2019.
- What is the lowest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.01 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 1997.
- How does Malawi rank for total shortfall from extreme poverty?
- Malawi ranks 11th out of 120 countries with data for 2019.
- Is total shortfall from extreme poverty rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Total shortfall from extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This is the amount of money that would be theoretically needed to lift the income or consumption of all people in poverty up to $3 per day. However, this is not a measure of the actual cost of eliminating poverty, since it does not take into account the costs involved in making the necessary transfers nor any changes in behavior they would bring about.