Renewable freshwater resources per person in Malawi
Malawi: Renewable freshwater resources per person was 784.69 cubic meters in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
784.69 cubic meters
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
140th
of 183 countries
All-time high
4,344 cubic meters
in 1961
All-time low
784.69 cubic meters
in 2022
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Renewable freshwater resources per person in Malawi, 1961–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 784.69 cubic meters for renewable freshwater resources per person in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 62 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.5% on the previous year and down 23.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, renewable freshwater resources per person in Malawi peaked at 4,344 cubic meters in 1961 and was at its lowest, 784.69 cubic meters, in 2022.
Malawi ranks 140th of 183 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Renewable freshwater resources per person in Malawi, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4,344 cubic meters | — |
| 1962 | 4,240 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1963 | 4,138 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1964 | 4,038 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1965 | 3,940 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1966 | 3,845 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1967 | 3,751 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1968 | 3,659 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1969 | 3,570 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1970 | 3,483 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1971 | 3,397 cubic meters | -2.5% |
| 1972 | 3,311 cubic meters | -2.5% |
| 1973 | 3,225 cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 1974 | 3,139 cubic meters | -2.7% |
| 1975 | 3,053 cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 1976 | 2,965 cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1977 | 2,874 cubic meters | -3.1% |
| 1978 | 2,778 cubic meters | -3.4% |
| 1979 | 2,677 cubic meters | -3.6% |
| 1980 | 2,576 cubic meters | -3.8% |
| 1981 | 2,477 cubic meters | -3.9% |
| 1982 | 2,381 cubic meters | -3.9% |
| 1983 | 2,289 cubic meters | -3.9% |
| 1984 | 2,201 cubic meters | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 2,118 cubic meters | -3.8% |
| 1986 | 2,041 cubic meters | -3.6% |
| 1987 | 1,946 cubic meters | -4.7% |
| 1988 | 1,844 cubic meters | -5.3% |
| 1989 | 1,759 cubic meters | -4.6% |
| 1990 | 1,691 cubic meters | -3.9% |
| 1991 | 1,640 cubic meters | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 1,592 cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1993 | 1,569 cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 1,588 cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 1,590 cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 1,559 cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 1,528 cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 1,495 cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 1,461 cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 1,426 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 1,392 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 1,359 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 1,325 cubic meters | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 1,291 cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 1,257 cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 1,223 cubic meters | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 1,189 cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 1,155 cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 1,121 cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 1,089 cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 1,057 cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 1,027 cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 998.65 cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 971.03 cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 944.66 cubic meters | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 919.25 cubic meters | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 894.69 cubic meters | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 871.11 cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 848.32 cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 826.26 cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 805.1 cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 784.69 cubic meters | -2.5% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 784.69 cubic meters is below the median for low income countries, which is 973.01 cubic meters, 81% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 784.69 cubic meters is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,439 cubic meters, 55% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3,947 cubic meters | 3,570 cubic meters | 4,344 cubic meters | 9 |
| 1970s | 3,090 cubic meters | 2,677 cubic meters | 3,483 cubic meters | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,163 cubic meters | 1,759 cubic meters | 2,576 cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,571 cubic meters | 1,461 cubic meters | 1,691 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,274 cubic meters | 1,121 cubic meters | 1,426 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 962.1 cubic meters | 848.32 cubic meters | 1,089 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 805.35 cubic meters | 784.69 cubic meters | 826.26 cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More energy & mining data for Malawi
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 7.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 16.5% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 1.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is renewable freshwater resources per person in Malawi?
- Renewable freshwater resources per person in Malawi was 784.69 cubic meters in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest renewable freshwater resources per person recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 4,344 cubic meters in 1961.
- What is the lowest renewable freshwater resources per person recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 784.69 cubic meters in 2022.
- How does Malawi rank for renewable freshwater resources per person?
- Malawi ranks 140th out of 183 countries with data for 2022.
- Is renewable freshwater resources per person rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Renewable freshwater resources per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Renewable internal freshwater resources refers to the quantity of internal freshwater from inflowing river basins and recharging groundwater aquifers. This is measured in cubic meters per person per year.