Demography from Successive Censuses
Population ('000s unless stated) | 1977 | 1987 | 1998 |
Total | 5,547 | 7,989 | 9,934 |
By sex | |||
Male | 2,674 | 3,867 | 4,868 |
Female | 2,874 | 4,121 | 5,066 |
By region | |||
Northern region | 649 | 912 | 1,234 |
Central region | 2,144 | 3,111 | 4,066 |
Southern region | 2,755 | 3,966 | 4,634 |
% under 15 years of age | 44.6 | 46.1 | 43.6 |
% living in urban areas | 8.5 | 10.7 | 14 |
Population of principal towns | |||
Blantyre City | 219 | 333 | 502 |
Lilongwe City | 99 | 223 | 440 |
Mzuzu City | 16 | 44 | 87 |
Zomba Municipality | 24 | 43 | 66 |
Population density (persons per sq. km) | 1977 | 1987 | 1998 |
Malawi | 59 | 85 | 105 |
Northern region | 24 | 34 | 46 |
Central region | 60 | 87 | 114 |
Southern region | 87 | 125 | 146 |
Population growth rates (compared to previous census) | 1977 | 1987 | 1998 |
Malawi | 2.9 | 3.7 | 2 |
Northern region | 2.4 | 3.4 | 2.7 |
Central region | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.4 |
Southern region | 2.6 | 3.7 | 1.4 |
Fertility | 1977 | 1987 | 1998 |
Crude birth rate (births per thousand population) | 48.3 | 41.2 | 37.9 |
Total fertility rate (children per woman) | 7.6 | 7.4 | 6.5 |
Mortality | 1977 | 1987 | 1998 |
Crude death rate (deaths per thousand population) | 25 | 14.1 | 25 |
Infant mortality rate (infant deaths per 1,000 live births) | 165 | 159 | 121 |
Life expectancy at birth | 1977 | 1987 | 1998 |
Males | 39.2 | 41.4 | 40 |
Females | 42.4 | 44.6 | 44 |
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Key: .. =Not available;bn=billion;%=percent;mm=millimetres;ha=hectares; K=Malawi Kwacha;-=zero or less than half;mn=million;km=kilometres.
Malawi in Figures is an annual publication of the National Statistical Office. Data sources include the Statistical Yearbook, 1998 Population Census, 1998 Integrated Household Survey, 2000 Core Welfare Indicators Questionnaire, 2004 Demographic and Health Survey and 2002 DHS EdData Survey.