Malawi birth & fertility rate charts by year

Fertility rate in Malawi by year

According to the latest birth rate data available, the fertility rate in Malawi is 3.65, which is above the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. In 1993, the fertility rate was 6.57 — a 44.5% decline in 30 years.

Check population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart above shows the historical changes in fertility rate and ranking compared to other countries, where a lower rank number indicates a higher relative fertility rate.

Births, deaths, and natural population change by year

Over the past 10 years, the natural population change in Malawi (from births and deaths only, excluding migration) has been +2.67% annually. On average, 501,939 more people were born each year than died.

Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was 2.6% — 549,096 more people were born than died.

In 2023, Malawi ranks 35/196 for absolute natural population change and 18/196 for natural change rate, where a lower rank number indicates faster natural growth and a higher number indicates greater decline.

Birth rates by women's age

Above is a chart displaying birth rates in Malawi by maternal age. In 2026, of all live births, 21.9% will be to women under age 20, 51.6% to women ages 20-29, and 26.4% to women ages 30 and above. The respective shares in 1990 were 17%, 52.1%, and 30.9%.

Children 0-14 years as share of population by year

Chart Table

Malawi

Factual

UN forecast

World

Factual

UN forecast

1x

Year	Children 0-14 as share of population
	Malawi	World
2100	19.9%	16.5%
2099	20%	16.6%
2098	20.2%	16.6%
2097	20.3%	16.7%
2096	20.4%	16.8%
2095	20.6%	16.8%
2094	20.7%	16.9%
2093	20.9%	17%
2092	21%	17%
2091	21.2%	17.1%
2090	21.3%	17.2%
2089	21.5%	17.2%
2088	21.6%	17.3%
2087	21.8%	17.4%
2086	22%	17.4%
2085	22.1%	17.5%
2084	22.3%	17.5%
2083	22.5%	17.6%
2082	22.7%	17.7%
2081	22.9%	17.7%
2080	23.1%	17.8%
2079	23.2%	17.8%
2078	23.4%	17.9%
2077	23.6%	17.9%
2076	23.8%	18%
2075	24.1%	18%
2074	24.3%	18.1%
2073	24.5%	18.2%
2072	24.7%	18.2%
2071	24.9%	18.3%
2070	25.2%	18.3%
2069	25.4%	18.4%
2068	25.6%	18.5%
2067	25.9%	18.6%
2066	26.1%	18.6%
2065	26.3%	18.7%
2064	26.6%	18.8%
2063	26.8%	18.9%
2062	27.1%	19.1%
2061	27.3%	19.2%
2060	27.6%	19.3%
2059	27.9%	19.4%
2058	28.1%	19.5%
2057	28.4%	19.6%
2056	28.7%	19.8%
2055	29%	19.9%
2054	29.3%	20%
2053	29.6%	20.1%
2052	29.9%	20.2%
2051	30.3%	20.3%
2050	30.6%	20.4%
2049	31%	20.5%
2048	31.4%	20.6%
2047	31.7%	20.7%
2046	32.1%	20.8%
2045	32.5%	20.9%
2044	32.9%	20.9%
2043	33.3%	21%
2042	33.7%	21.1%
2041	34%	21.2%
2040	34.4%	21.2%
2039	34.8%	21.3%
2038	35.1%	21.4%
2037	35.5%	21.5%
2036	35.9%	21.6%
2035	36.2%	21.8%
2034	36.5%	22%
2033	36.9%	22.2%
2032	37.2%	22.4%
2031	37.5%	22.7%
2030	37.9%	23%
2029	38.3%	23.3%
2028	38.8%	23.6%
2027	39.3%	23.9%
2026	39.9%	24.2%
2025	40.4%	24.6%
2024	40.7%	24.7%
2023	41.3%	25%
2022	41.9%	25.3%
2021	42.5%	25.6%
2020	43.1%	25.8%
2019	43.7%	26%
2018	44.2%	26.2%
2017	44.6%	26.4%
2016	45.1%	26.5%
2015	45.4%	26.6%
2014	45.7%	26.8%
2013	46%	26.9%
2012	46.1%	27%
2011	46.2%	27.1%
2010	46.2%	27.3%
2009	46.2%	27.5%
2008	46.1%	27.6%
2007	46.1%	27.9%
2006	46.1%	28.1%
2005	46%	28.5%
2004	46%	28.8%
2003	46.1%	29.2%
2002	46.1%	29.6%
2001	46.1%	30%
2000	46.2%	30.4%
1999	46.2%	30.8%
1998	46.2%	31.1%
1997	46.2%	31.5%
1996	46.2%	31.8%
1995	46.1%	32.1%
1994	46.1%	32.3%
1993	46%	32.5%
1992	45.8%	32.7%
1991	45.6%	32.9%
1990	45.4%	33%
1989	45.2%	33.2%
1988	45%	33.4%
1987	45.1%	33.6%
1986	45.4%	33.8%
1985	45.4%	34%
1984	45.5%	34.3%
1983	45.5%	34.6%
1982	45.4%	34.9%
1981	45.4%	35.2%
1980	45.4%	35.5%
1979	45.3%	35.9%
1978	45.3%	36.3%
1977	45.3%	36.7%
1976	45.2%	36.9%
1975	45.2%	37.1%
1974	45.1%	37.2%
1973	44.9%	37.3%
1972	44.8%	37.5%
1971	44.6%	37.6%
1970	44.4%	37.7%
1969	44.2%	37.8%
1968	43.9%	37.9%
1967	43.7%	38%
1966	43.4%	38%
1965	43.2%	38%
1964	43%	38%
1963	42.9%	37.8%
1962	42.8%	37.6%
1961	42.9%	37.5%
1960	43.1%	37.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Malawi was 43.1% in 1960, 45.8% in 1992, and 40.7% as of the latest data in 2024.

More about the demographics of Malawi.

Maternal mortality by year

Chart Table

Malawi

World's average

1x

Year	Maternal mortality per 100K births
	Malawi	World
2023	225	197
2022	239	203
2021	286	242
2020	256	211
2019	260	207
2018	267	211
2017	284	215
2016	312	220
2015	354	228
2014	367	231
2013	410	235
2012	447	239
2011	486	247
2010	517	253
2009	512	258
2008	430	264
2007	333	269
2006	286	276
2005	283	283
2004	304	291
2003	346	301
2002	404	311
2001	447	321
2000	506	328
1999	576	340
1998	658	360
1997	672	358
1996	713	366
1995	782	371
1994	912	382
1993	1,000	389
1992	1,042	395
1991	1,080	395
1990	1,112	391
1989	1,136	401
1988	1,154	414
1987	1,123	429
1986	1,118	438
1985	1,115	460

The maternal mortality rate in Malawi was 225 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023 — a 0.23% chance of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination. This is a 55.5% decrease compared to the year 2000.

Under-five mortality by year

Chart Table

Malawi

World's average

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

1x

Year	Under 5 mortality rate
	Malawi	World
2023	3.83%	2.49%
2022	3.99%	2.59%
2021	4.15%	2.66%
2020	4.31%	2.75%
2019	4.55%	2.86%
2018	4.75%	2.97%
2017	5.06%	3.11%
2016	5.35%	3.22%
2015	5.67%	3.35%
2014	6.02%	3.48%
2013	6.4%	3.61%
2012	6.98%	3.77%
2011	7.67%	3.97%
2010	8.3%	4.11%
2009	8.81%	4.31%
2008	9.31%	4.5%
2007	9.83%	4.7%
2006	10.3%	4.92%
2005	11%	5.16%
2004	11.9%	5.43%
2003	13.2%	5.65%
2002	14.6%	5.94%
2001	16%	6.21%
2000	17.3%	6.48%
1999	18.4%	6.75%
1998	19.2%	7.05%
1997	19.7%	7.28%
1996	20.2%	7.52%
1995	20.7%	7.76%
1994	21.3%	7.98%
1993	22%	8.19%
1992	22.8%	8.46%
1991	23.6%	8.66%
1990	24.3%	8.81%
1989	24.9%	9.02%
1988	25.3%	9.31%
1987	25.5%	9.47%
1986	25.4%	9.81%
1985	25.1%	10.1%
1984	24.8%	10.4%
1983	24.5%	10.6%
1982	24.5%	10.8%
1981	24.9%	11%
1980	25.6%	11.4%
1979	26.5%	11.7%
1978	27.6%	12.2%
1977	28.7%	12.6%
1976	29.7%	13%
1975	30.6%	13.4%
1974	31.5%	13.8%
1973	32.4%	14.1%
1972	33.2%	14.5%
1971	33.9%	15.1%
1970	34.4%	15.2%
1969	34.7%	15.4%
1968	35%	15.6%
1967	35.1%	15.9%
1966	35.3%	16.1%
1965	35.4%	16.4%
1964	35.5%	16.6%
1963	35.7%	16.5%
1962	35.8%	16.7%
1961	35.9%	17%
1960	-	17.2%

The under-5 mortality rate in Malawi was 38.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023 — a 3.83% chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five. This is down from 173.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000.