Annual freshwater withdrawals in Malawi
Malawi: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 1.36 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Malawi, 1994–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in billion cubic meters.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual freshwater withdrawals in Malawi is 1.36 billion billion cubic meters, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Malawi peaked at 1.36 billion billion cubic meters in 2005 and was at its lowest, 936.00 million billion cubic meters, in 1994.
Malawi ranks 104th of 181 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Malawi, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 936.00 million billion cubic meters | — |
| 1995 | 986.04 million billion cubic meters | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 1.04 billion billion cubic meters | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 1.09 billion billion cubic meters | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 1.14 billion billion cubic meters | +4.6% |
| 1999 | 1.19 billion billion cubic meters | +4.4% |
| 2000 | 1.24 billion billion cubic meters | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 1.29 billion billion cubic meters | +4.1% |
| 2002 | 1.34 billion billion cubic meters | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 1.34 billion billion cubic meters | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 1.35 billion billion cubic meters | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 1.36 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for low income countries, which is 879.60 million billion cubic meters, 1.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 1.36 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 694.65 million billion cubic meters, 2.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.06 billion billion cubic meters | 936.00 million billion cubic meters | 1.19 billion billion cubic meters | 6 |
| 2000s | 1.33 billion billion cubic meters | 1.24 billion billion cubic meters | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | 1.36 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 101 Czechia 1.45 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 102 Guyana 1.44 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 103 Belarus 1.41 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 105 Mauritania 1.35 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 106 Jamaica 1.34 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 107 Georgia 1.29 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Malawi
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.9153 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.8098 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.07 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 5.3 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals in Malawi?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Malawi was 1.36 billion billion 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 annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 1.36 billion billion cubic meters in 2005.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 936.00 million billion cubic meters in 1994.
- How does Malawi rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Malawi ranks 104th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Annual freshwater withdrawals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual freshwater withdrawals refer to total water withdrawals, not counting evaporation losses from storage basins, measured in cubic meters (m³) per year. Total water withdrawals are the sum of withdrawals for agriculture, industry and municipal (domestic uses). Withdrawals also include water from desalination plants in countries where they are a significant source.