Malawi Fertility Rate
Total fertility rate SP.DYN.TFRT.IN
Malawi's fertility rate was 3.49 in 2025, ranked 43rd globally. This represents a 4.3% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1960–2025.
Overview
Malawi's fertility rate stood at 3.49 in 2025, a decline of +0.16 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 3.49 by 2025. Malawi ranked 43rd globally.
Malawi’s fertility rate has fallen dramatically over the 65‑year series, descending from an early‑record 7.04 in 1960 to an all‑time trough of 3.49 in 2025, the lowest level since the series began and ranking it 43rd globally. The peak of 7.52 was recorded in 1980, after which a sustained decline accelerated in the 1990s and continued through the 2000s, reflecting expanded access to family‑planning services, rising female education, and urbanisation. By 2025 Malawi’s rate of 3.49 is virtually identical to that of Vanuatu (3.50) and only marginally above Pakistan’s 3.51, positioning it among the lower‑fertility nations in sub‑Saharan Africa, where Ghana records 3.29. The persistent downward trajectory suggests that further improvements in reproductive health infrastructure and continued socioeconomic development could push the rate below the current trough, reinforcing the long‑term demographic transition.
Data & projection
| Year | Fertility Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 3.42 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 3.49 | - | - |
| 2025 | 3.49 | −0.16 | #43 |
| 2023 | 3.65 | −0.07 | #179 |
| 2022 | 3.72 | −0.07 | #179 |
| 2021 | 3.79 | −0.09 | #180 |
| 2020 | 3.88 | −0.08 | #180 |
| 2019 | 3.95 | −0.07 | #180 |
| 2018 | 4.02 | −0.09 | #180 |
| 2017 | 4.11 | −0.10 | #182 |
| 2016 | 4.22 | −0.17 | #182 |
| 2015 | 4.38 | −0.19 | #184 |
| 2014 | 4.57 | −0.19 | #185 |
| 2013 | 4.76 | −0.14 | #189 |
| 2012 | 4.90 | −0.18 | #189 |
| 2011 | 5.08 | −0.18 | #191 |
| 2010 | 5.26 | −0.19 | #195 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Malawi matched the Currency Crisis Pattern pattern in 2016. Historically, 27% of countries showing this pattern (35 out of 128) saw fertility rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Malawi's fertility rate was 3.49 in 2025. Ranked 43rd globally. This represents a 4.3% decrease from the previous year.
Malawi's fertility rate peaked at 7.52 in 1980.
The lowest fertility rate in Malawi was 3.49 in 2025.
Malawi ranks 43rd globally in fertility rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SP.DYN.TFRT.IN. Data sourced from World Bank.
Malawi's fertility rate is projected to reach 3.49 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The fertility rate of Malawi in 2025 was 3.49. This ranks 43rd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_malawi_fertility-rate,
title = {Malawi Fertility Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/malawi/fertility-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}