Population of Malawi
As of July 2026, the population of Malawi is 22.8 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 575 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 2.56%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 16.1 years in 2016 to 18.4 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 67.9 years and population density is 241 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Population Growth
The population growth rate of Malawi peaked in 1987, reaching around 5.94% annually, but has since declined to approximately 2.53% in 2026. However, the annual increase in the number of people continues to rise, reaching around 575.47 thousand in 2026.
Life Expectancy
In Malawi, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 53.7 years in 2006 to 67.9 years in 2026, representing an increase of more than 14 years over the past 2 decades.
Most populous cities in Malawi
The cities of Malawi are mostly small, but 4 stand out with more than 100 thousand inhabitants. The most populous city is Lilongwe, Central Region, with approximately 1.1 million inhabitants. It is followed by Blantyre, Southern Region with 902.6 thousand and Mzuzu, Northern Region with 249.6 thousand.
These are the 20 most populous cities in Malawi:
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lilongwe, Central Region | 1,115,815 |
| 2 | Blantyre, Southern Region | 902,588 |
| 3 | Mzuzu, Northern Region | 249,564 |
| 4 | Zomba, Southern Region | 118,440 |
| 5 | Karonga, Northern Region | 69,486 |
| 6 | Kasungu, Central Region | 66,152 |
| 7 | Mangochi, Southern Region | 60,338 |
| 8 | Salima, Central Region | 41,492 |
| 9 | Liwonde, Southern Region | 41,077 |
| 10 | Balaka, Southern Region | 40,950 |
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Dedza, Central Region | 34,882 |
| 12 | Nkhotakota, Central Region | 31,974 |
| 13 | Mchinji, Central Region | 31,592 |
| 14 | Nsanje, Southern Region | 30,276 |
| 15 | Mzimba, Northern Region | 29,432 |
| 16 | Mponela, Central Region | 27,681 |
| 17 | Rumphi, Northern Region | 25,216 |
| 18 | Ntcheu, Central Region | 23,956 |
| 19 | Mwanza, Southern Region | 20,345 |
| 20 | Chitipa, Northern Region | 20,011 |