Number of undernourished people (millions) in Malawi
Malawi: Number of undernourished people (millions) was 5.3 num m in 2024. ▲ Rising
Number of undernourished people in Malawi, 2001–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in num m.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 5.3 num m for number of undernourished people in 2024. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 10.4% on the previous year and up 103.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of undernourished people in Malawi peaked at 5.3 num m in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.1 num m, in 2009.
Malawi ranks 31st of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Number of undernourished people (millions) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | num m | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 2.7 num m | — |
| 2002 | 2.8 num m | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 2.9 num m | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 2.9 num m | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 2.8 num m | -3.4% |
| 2006 | 2.6 num m | -7.1% |
| 2007 | 2.4 num m | -7.7% |
| 2008 | 2.2 num m | -8.3% |
| 2009 | 2.1 num m | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 2.1 num m | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 2.1 num m | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 2.2 num m | +4.8% |
| 2013 | 2.4 num m | +9.1% |
| 2014 | 2.6 num m | +8.3% |
| 2015 | 2.8 num m | +7.7% |
| 2016 | 2.9 num m | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 3.2 num m | +10.3% |
| 2018 | 3.4 num m | +6.2% |
| 2019 | 3.7 num m | +8.8% |
| 2020 | 3.9 num m | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 4.1 num m | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 4.3 num m | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 4.8 num m | +11.6% |
| 2024 | 5.3 num m | +10.4% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 5.3 num m is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.35 num m, 1.2× the median. (20 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 5.3 num m is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.55 num m, 2.1× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.6 num m | 2.1 num m | 2.9 num m | 9 |
| 2010s | 2.74 num m | 2.1 num m | 3.7 num m | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.48 num m | 3.9 num m | 5.3 num m | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More development goals data for Malawi
- Red List Index 0.8845 index (2025)
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 2.52 per 100,000 people (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 70.35 constant US$ (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds 31 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds (not extinct) 31 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds with unknown risk status 31 (2025)
- Number of local breeds with unknown risk status 16 (2025)
- Number of local breeds (not extinct) 16 (2025)
- Number of local breeds kept in the country 17 (2025)
- Infant deaths 25,217 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of undernourished people in Malawi?
- Number of undernourished people in Malawi was 5.3 num m in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest number of undernourished people recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 5.3 num m in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of undernourished people recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1 num m in 2009.
- How does Malawi rank for number of undernourished people?
- Malawi ranks 31st out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of undernourished people rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 103.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Number of undernourished people (millions). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).