Country explorer: Malawi

Malawi's economy has experienced fluctuations in GDP per capita growth, a significant portion of its population living below various poverty thresholds, persistently high unemployment rates, and volatile inflation rates, sharing common challenges with its low-income peers but also facing unique pressures such as extreme poverty levels and inflation spikes that underscore the country's ongoing struggle for economic stability.

Malawi has undergone significant demographic shifts, marked by a gradual decrease in the fertility rate from 6.0 to 3.9 children per woman, an improvement in life expectancy from 44.5 to 62.9 years, despite variable net migration, reflecting broader health, societal, and economic transformations common to several low-income countries.

Malawi has exhibited gradual improvements in the share of the population with access to electricity and safely managed drinking water, yet faces significant challenges in increasing access to clean cooking fuels and safely managed sanitation facilities, reflecting patterns both distinct and common among low-income countries in addressing basic needs.

Malawi has demonstrated steady progress in human development as evidenced by improvements in the Human Development Index, reductions in child mortality rates, increases in literacy rates, and modest gains in learning-adjusted years of schooling, aligning with trends observed in neighboring low-income countries but distinguishing itself with notable strides in educational attainment and health outcomes despite its economic challenges.

Malawi has experienced significant environmental shifts, notably in decreasing forest area and renewable freshwater resources per capita, alongside a gradual adaptation in electricity production with an increased focus on solar and declining per capita CO₂ emissions, reflecting patterns seen in many low-income countries but with distinct challenges and achievements in its journey towards sustainability and energy diversity.

Malawi has shown gradual but important advancements in technology and innovation, with significant growth in both internet usage and mobile phone subscriptions, mirroring broader trends seen across low-income countries, albeit from a low base and with room for substantial growth in scientific research outputs.

Malawi has seen a gradual decrease in gender inequality and age dependency ratio, alongside a slight fluctuation in life satisfaction and a stable but low share of the population born in another country, reflecting broad societal shifts towards slightly improved well-being and societal structure, akin to trends observed in other low-income countries.

Malawi has demonstrated notable improvements in governance, characterized by an enhanced rule of law, reduced perceptions of corruption, increased political civil liberties, and improved press freedom, setting a positive trajectory distinct from several of its peers.