Malawi Reserves in Months of Imports
Total reserves in months of imports FI.RES.TOTL.MO
Malawi's reserves in months of imports was 1.9 in 2020, ranked 141st globally. This represents a 33.0% decrease from 2019. Data from World Bank, covering 1978–2020.
Overview
Malawi's reserves in months of imports stood at 1.9 in 2020, a decline of +0.9 from 2019. Malawi ranked 141st globally.
Malawi’s reserves in months of imports stood at 1.91 in 2020, placing the country 141st in the global ranking and slightly below Guyana’s 1.96 while edging above Greece’s 1.81. The indicator has trended downward from a post‑structural adjustment high of 4.38 in 1998, when foreign exchange inflows from agricultural exports temporarily bolstered stockpiles, to an early‑1980s low of 0.55 in 1983 amid severe balance‑of‑payments stress and drought‑related production shortfalls. Over the 43‑year series, the average has hovered around two months, reflecting Malawi’s persistent vulnerability to external shocks and limited capacity to accumulate extensive buffers. Compared with larger economies such as the United States (2.10) and Canada (1.76), Malawi’s coverage remains modest, underscoring the need for sustained fiscal discipline, diversified export earnings and improved foreign‑exchange management. If these reforms deepen, the reserve ratio could stabilize above two months, reducing the risk of import disruptions in future downturns.
Data & projection
| Year | Reserves in Months of Imports | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1.9 | −0.9 | #141 |
| 2019 | 2.9 | +0.1 | #116 |
| 2018 | 2.8 | −0.2 | #117 |
| 2017 | 3.0 | +0.1 | #117 |
| 2016 | 2.9 | −0.1 | #117 |
| 2015 | 3.0 | +0.8 | #111 |
| 2014 | 2.2 | +0.6 | #131 |
| 2013 | 1.6 | +0.5 | #143 |
| 2012 | 1.1 | +0.3 | #153 |
| 2011 | 0.8 | −0.6 | #155 |
| 2010 | 1.4 | +0.5 | #145 |
| 2009 | 0.8 | −0.6 | #155 |
| 2008 | 1.4 | −0.3 | #130 |
| 2007 | 1.7 | +0.5 | #131 |
| 2006 | 1.2 | −0.2 | #138 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Malawi matched the Currency Crisis Pattern pattern in 2016. Historically, 27% of countries showing this pattern (35 out of 128) saw reserves in months of imports improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Malawi's reserves in months of imports was 1.9 in 2020. Ranked 141st globally. This represents a 33.0% decrease from the previous year.
Malawi's reserves in months of imports peaked at 4.4 in 1998.
The lowest reserves in months of imports in Malawi was 0.5 in 1983.
Malawi ranks 141st globally in reserves in months of imports as of 2020.
The World Bank indicator code is FI.RES.TOTL.MO. Data sourced from World Bank.
The reserves in months of imports of Malawi in 2020 was 1.9. This ranks 141st in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_malawi_reserves-months-imports,
title = {Malawi Reserves in Months of Imports},
url = {https://historysaid.com/malawi/reserves-months-imports/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}