Exclusive breastfeeding in Malawi

Malawi: Exclusive breastfeeding was 59.4% in 2016. ▲ Rising

Latest (2016)
59.4%
Change on year
down 13.8%
World rank
15th
of 72 countries
All-time high
70.8%
in 2010
All-time low
44.0%
in 2000
Years of data
7
2000–2016

Exclusive breastfeeding in Malawi, 2000–2016

0204060802000200820162000: 44 % of children under 6 months2004: 52.8 % of children under 6 months2005: 52.3 % of children under 6 months2006: 56.7 % of children under 6 months2010: 70.8 % of children under 6 months2014: 69 % of children under 6 months2016: 59.4 % of children under 6 months

Source: State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in % of children under 6 months.

Analysis

Malawi recorded 59.4% for exclusive breastfeeding in 2016.

That represents a change of down 13.8% on the previous year and up 4.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, exclusive breastfeeding in Malawi peaked at 70.8% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 44.0%, in 2000.

Malawi ranks 15th of 72 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Exclusive breastfeeding in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Exclusive breastfeeding (% of children under 6 months) in Malawi, 2000 to 2016.
Year % of children under 6 months Change
2000 44.0%
2004 52.8% +19.9%
2005 52.3% -0.9%
2006 56.7% +8.4%
2010 70.8% +24.8%
2014 69.0% -2.6%
2016 59.4% -13.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 51.5% 44.0% 56.7% 4
2010s 66.4% 59.4% 70.8% 3

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 12 Bangladesh 62.6% compare
  2. 13 Nepal 62.1% compare
  3. 14 Kenya 61.4% compare
  4. 16 Guinea-Bissau 59.3% compare
  5. 17 Lesotho 59.0% compare
  6. 18 Ethiopia 58.8% compare

See the full ranking of 72 places →

More health data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is exclusive breastfeeding in Malawi?
Exclusive breastfeeding in Malawi was 59.4% in 2016, according to State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
What is the highest exclusive breastfeeding recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 70.8% in 2010.
What is the lowest exclusive breastfeeding recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 44.0% in 2000.
How does Malawi rank for exclusive breastfeeding?
Malawi ranks 15th out of 72 countries with data for 2016.
Is exclusive breastfeeding rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Exclusive breastfeeding (% of children under 6 months). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Exclusive breastfeeding in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/exclusive-breastfeeding-percent-of-children-under-6-months/malawi/

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About this data

Indicator
Exclusive breastfeeding (% of children under 6 months)
Unit
% of children under 6 months
Source
State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
72 places, 509 data points, 1986–2020
Last refreshed

Exclusive breastfeeding refers to the percentage of children less than six months old who are fed breast milk alone (no other liquids) in the past 24 hours.