Height-for-age <-2 SD in Malawi

Malawi: Height-for-age <-2 SD was 34.9 in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
34.9
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
15th
of 96 countries
All-time high
62.26
in 1998
All-time low
34.04
in 2019
Years of data
16
1992–2020

Height-for-age <-2 SD in Malawi, 1992–2020

02040601992200620201992: 55.41995: 53.81998: 62.32000: 54.72002: 58.32004: 52.52006: 53.12009: 48.82010: 47.32014: 42.42015: 37.42016: 38.32017: 39.32018: 392019: 342020: 34.9

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

The most recent figure for height-for-age <-2 sd in Malawi is 34.9, measured in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and down 26.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, height-for-age <-2 sd in Malawi peaked at 62.26 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 34.04, in 2019.

That places Malawi 15th out of 96 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 16 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 57.16 53.8 62.26 3
2000s 53.47 48.8 58.26 5
2010s 39.67 34.04 47.28 7
2020s 34.9 34.9 34.9 1

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 12 Mozambique 36.73 compare
  2. 13 Lesotho 35.57 compare
  3. 14 India 35.47 compare
  4. 16 Zambia 34.59 compare
  5. 17 Benin 34.13 compare
  6. 18 Nigeria 33.8 compare

See the full ranking of 96 places →

More health data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is height-for-age <-2 sd in Malawi?
Height-for-age <-2 sd in Malawi was 34.9 in 2020, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest height-for-age <-2 sd recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 62.26 in 1998.
What is the lowest height-for-age <-2 sd recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 34.04 in 2019.
How does Malawi rank for height-for-age <-2 sd?
Malawi ranks 15th out of 96 countries with data for 2020.
Is height-for-age <-2 sd rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is down 26.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).

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Height-for-age <-2 SD in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 21 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/height-for-age-2-sd-stunting/malawi/

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<a href="https://health.statizoid.com/stat/height-for-age-2-sd-stunting/malawi/">Height-for-age <-2 SD in Malawi</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting)
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
96 places, 948 data points, 1985–2024
Last refreshed