Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Malawi
Malawi: Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex was 26.49 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
26.49 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 3.6%
World rank
46th
of 236 countries
All-time high
192.92 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1950
All-time low
26.49 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Malawi, 1950–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Malawi stood at 26.49 deaths per 1,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.6% on the previous year and down 39.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Malawi peaked at 192.92 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 26.49 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2023.
Malawi ranks 46th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Malawi, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 192.92 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 192.31 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1952 | 191.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1953 | 191.05 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1954 | 190.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1955 | 189.65 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1956 | 188.88 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1957 | 188.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1958 | 187.28 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1959 | 186.5 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1960 | 185.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1961 | 185.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 184.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 184.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 183.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 183.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 182.31 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 181.47 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 180.5 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 179.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1970 | 177.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1971 | 175.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 173.72 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1973 | 171.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 168.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1975 | 164.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1976 | 161.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 157.56 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1978 | 153.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1979 | 150.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1980 | 147.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 145.28 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 144.05 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 143.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 143.65 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 143.87 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 144.08 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 143.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 143.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 141.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 139.79 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 137.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 134.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 131.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 128.16 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 125.13 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 121.98 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 118.55 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 114.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1999 | 110.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 104.41 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.2% |
| 2001 | 98.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.9% |
| 2002 | 92.13 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.2% |
| 2003 | 85.11 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.6% |
| 2004 | 79.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.1% |
| 2005 | 73.7 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.8% |
| 2006 | 69.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.3% |
| 2007 | 65.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2008 | 61.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.7% |
| 2009 | 57.79 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2010 | 54.24 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.1% |
| 2011 | 50.7 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.5% |
| 2012 | 47.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.9% |
| 2013 | 43.96 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.9% |
| 2014 | 41.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.7% |
| 2015 | 38.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 36.22 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.2% |
| 2017 | 34.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 2018 | 32.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.1% |
| 2019 | 30.97 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 29.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2021 | 28.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 2022 | 27.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 26.49 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 26.49 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 42.18 deaths per 1,000 people, 63% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 26.49 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 35.12 deaths per 1,000 people, 75% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 189.87 deaths per 1,000 people | 186.5 deaths per 1,000 people | 192.92 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 183.04 deaths per 1,000 people | 179.32 deaths per 1,000 people | 185.78 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 165.48 deaths per 1,000 people | 150.33 deaths per 1,000 people | 177.85 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 144.09 deaths per 1,000 people | 141.78 deaths per 1,000 people | 147.44 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 126.15 deaths per 1,000 people | 110.08 deaths per 1,000 people | 139.79 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.58 deaths per 1,000 people | 57.79 deaths per 1,000 people | 104.41 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.96 deaths per 1,000 people | 30.97 deaths per 1,000 people | 54.24 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.98 deaths per 1,000 people | 26.49 deaths per 1,000 people | 29.59 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,399 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0714 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0718 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Malawi?
- Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Malawi was 26.49 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 192.92 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.49 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Malawi rank for annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex?
- Malawi ranks 46th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Death rate, calculated as the number of deaths divided by the average number of people alive during the interval.