Malawi Death Rate
Crude death rate per 1,000 people SP.DYN.CDRT.IN
Malawi's death rate was 5.1 in 2025, ranked 188th globally. This represents a 5.3% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1960–2025.
Overview
Malawi's death rate stood at 5.1 in 2025, a decline of +0.3 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 5.1 by 2025. Malawi ranked 188th globally.
Malawi’s death rate has fallen dramatically over the 65‑year series, dropping from an all‑time peak of 30.10 in 1960 to a trough of 5.08 in 2025, placing the country at rank 188 globally. This decline reflects sustained improvements in public health, vaccination coverage and maternal care, as well as broader socioeconomic advances that have reduced mortality from infectious diseases and malnutrition. The 2025 figure of 5.08 is closely aligned with peer nations such as Guatemala (5.14) and Macao SAR, China (5.02), indicating that Malawi now shares a mortality profile with middle‑income economies rather than the high‑mortality levels of its early post‑colonial period. Continued investment in health infrastructure, especially in rural areas, and the expansion of universal health coverage will be crucial to maintaining this downward trajectory, while any reversal in disease control or economic shocks could stall further progress.
Data & projection
| Year | Death Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 4.9 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 5.1 | - | - |
| 2025 | 5.1 | −0.3 | #188 |
| 2023 | 5.4 | −0.4 | #35 |
| 2022 | 5.8 | −0.5 | #43 |
| 2021 | 6.3 | +0.1 | #39 |
| 2020 | 6.2 | −0.1 | #46 |
| 2019 | 6.3 | −0.2 | #69 |
| 2018 | 6.5 | −0.3 | #81 |
| 2017 | 6.8 | −0.4 | #88 |
| 2016 | 7.2 | −0.5 | #99 |
| 2015 | 7.6 | −0.4 | #119 |
| 2014 | 8.1 | −0.5 | #130 |
| 2013 | 8.6 | −0.6 | #145 |
| 2012 | 9.2 | −0.7 | #153 |
| 2011 | 9.9 | −0.8 | #172 |
| 2010 | 10.7 | −0.8 | #179 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Malawi matched the Currency Crisis Pattern pattern in 2016. Historically, 27% of countries showing this pattern (35 out of 128) saw death rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Malawi's death rate was 5.1 in 2025. Ranked 188th globally. This represents a 5.3% decrease from the previous year.
Malawi's death rate peaked at 30.1 in 1960.
The lowest death rate in Malawi was 5.1 in 2025.
Malawi ranks 188th globally in death rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SP.DYN.CDRT.IN. Data sourced from World Bank.
Malawi's death rate is projected to reach 5.1 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The death rate of Malawi in 2025 was 5.1. This ranks 188th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_malawi_death-rate,
title = {Malawi Death Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/malawi/death-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}