Death rate in Malawi
Malawi: Death rate was 5.36 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
5.36 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 7.6%
World rank
201st
of 236 countries
All-time high
32.36 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1950
All-time low
5.36 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Death rate in Malawi, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, death rate in Malawi stood at 5.36 deaths per 1,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.6% on the previous year and down 37.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate in Malawi peaked at 32.36 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 5.36 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2023.
Malawi ranks 201st of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Death rate in Malawi, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 32.36 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 31.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1952 | 31.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1953 | 31.16 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1954 | 30.96 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1955 | 30.79 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1956 | 30.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1957 | 30.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1958 | 30.34 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1959 | 30.18 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1960 | 30.1 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 29.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1962 | 29.88 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1963 | 29.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 29.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 29.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 29.6 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 29.49 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 29.35 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 29.12 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 28.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1971 | 28.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1972 | 27.67 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1973 | 26.92 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1974 | 26.09 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1975 | 25.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1976 | 24.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1977 | 23.53 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1978 | 22.67 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1979 | 22.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 21.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 21.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 21.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 21.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 21.82 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 21.99 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 22.15 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 22.01 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 22.83 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 22.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 22.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 21.96 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 21.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 21.52 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 21.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 20.56 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1996 | 20.13 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 19.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 19.41 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 18.66 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 18.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 2001 | 17.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 16.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 15.9 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.2% |
| 2004 | 15.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.2% |
| 2005 | 14.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 2006 | 13.67 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2007 | 13.05 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 12.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.1% |
| 2009 | 11.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.8% |
| 2010 | 10.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.2% |
| 2011 | 9.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.2% |
| 2012 | 9.24 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.0% |
| 2013 | 8.62 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.7% |
| 2014 | 8.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 7.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.4% |
| 2016 | 7.18 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.0% |
| 2017 | 6.82 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.1% |
| 2018 | 6.55 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 6.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 6.19 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 6.26 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 5.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.3% |
| 2023 | 5.36 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 5.36 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 7.05 deaths per 1,000 people, 76% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 5.36 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.2 deaths per 1,000 people, 74% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 31.01 deaths per 1,000 people | 30.18 deaths per 1,000 people | 32.36 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 29.68 deaths per 1,000 people | 29.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 30.1 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 25.57 deaths per 1,000 people | 22.23 deaths per 1,000 people | 28.75 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 22.05 deaths per 1,000 people | 21.69 deaths per 1,000 people | 22.83 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.7 deaths per 1,000 people | 18.66 deaths per 1,000 people | 22.23 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.81 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.54 deaths per 1,000 people | 18.02 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.11 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.3 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.71 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.9 deaths per 1,000 people | 5.36 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.26 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)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 856.3 deaths per 1,000 people (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate in Malawi?
- Death rate in Malawi was 5.36 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 32.36 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest death rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.36 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Malawi rank for death rate?
- Malawi ranks 201st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is death rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Number of deaths in a year per 1,000 people in the population.