Per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in Malawi
Malawi: Per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group was 0 kilograms in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in Malawi, 2008–2023
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms.
Analysis
In 2023, per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in Malawi stood at 0 kilograms. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is down 100.0% on the previous year and down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in Malawi peaked at 0.0281 kilograms in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0 kilograms, in 2023.
That places Malawi 157th out of 172 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in Malawi, year by year
| Year | kilograms | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 0.0016 kilograms | — |
| 2009 | 0.0022 kilograms | +38.1% |
| 2010 | 0.0128 kilograms | +484.5% |
| 2011 | 0.0067 kilograms | -47.5% |
| 2012 | 0.0281 kilograms | +318.4% |
| 2013 | 0.0249 kilograms | -11.5% |
| 2014 | 0.0042 kilograms | -83.3% |
| 2015 | 0.0253 kilograms | +508.3% |
| 2016 | 0.0028 kilograms | -88.9% |
| 2017 | 0.0183 kilograms | +555.5% |
| 2018 | 0.0033 kilograms | -82.2% |
| 2019 | 0.0142 kilograms | +337.0% |
| 2020 | 0.0061 kilograms | -57.2% |
| 2021 | 0.0203 kilograms | +233.6% |
| 2023 | 0 kilograms | -100.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 0 kilograms is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.0104 kilograms. (15 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 0 kilograms is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.0132 kilograms. (38 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.0019 kilograms | 0.0016 kilograms | 0.0022 kilograms | 2 |
| 2010s | 0.0141 kilograms | 0.0028 kilograms | 0.0281 kilograms | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0088 kilograms | 0 kilograms | 0.0203 kilograms | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 154 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 kilograms compare
- 155 Sao Tome and Principe 0 kilograms compare
- 156 Cote d'Ivoire 0 kilograms compare
- 157 Brazil 0 kilograms compare
- 157 Bulgaria 0 kilograms compare
- 157 Ghana 0 kilograms compare
- 157 Greece 0 kilograms compare
- 157 Hungary 0 kilograms compare
- 157 Mexico 0 kilograms compare
- 157 Poland 0 kilograms compare
- 157 Senegal 0 kilograms compare
- 157 Slovakia 0 kilograms compare
- 157 South Korea 0 kilograms compare
- 157 Spain 0 kilograms compare
- 157 Switzerland 0 kilograms compare
- 157 United Kingdom 0 kilograms compare
- 157 United States 0 kilograms compare
- 157 Uzbekistan 0 kilograms 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)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in Malawi?
- Per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in Malawi was 0 kilograms in 2023, according to United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0281 kilograms in 2012.
- What is the lowest per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 kilograms in 2023.
- How does Malawi rank for per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group?
- Malawi ranks 157th out of 172 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Amount of plastic waste imported per person, measured in kilograms per person per year.