Share of forest area within protected areas in Malawi
Malawi: Share of forest area within protected areas was 30.9% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Share of forest area within protected areas in Malawi, 1990–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of forest area within protected areas in Malawi stood at 30.9%. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of forest area within protected areas in Malawi peaked at 30.9% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 30.9%, in 1990.
That places Malawi 61st out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Share of forest area within protected areas in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 30.9% | — |
| 2000 | 30.9% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 30.9% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 30.9% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 30.9% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 30.9% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 30.9% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 30.9% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 30.9% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 30.9% | +0.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 30.9% is above the median for low income countries, which is 15.9%, 1.9× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 30.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.7%, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 30.9% | 30.9% | 30.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 30.9% | 30.9% | 30.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 30.9% | 30.9% | 30.9% | 6 |
| 2020s | 30.9% | 30.9% | 30.9% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 58 Guadeloupe 31.6% compare
- 59 Liechtenstein 31.5% compare
- 60 Peru 31.2% compare
- 62 Guinea-Bissau 30.4% compare
- 63 French Guiana 30.0% compare
- 64 Georgia 29.4% 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 share of forest area within protected areas in Malawi?
- Share of forest area within protected areas in Malawi was 30.9% in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of forest area within protected areas recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 30.9% in 1990.
- What is the lowest share of forest area within protected areas recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.9% in 1990.
- How does Malawi rank for share of forest area within protected areas?
- Malawi ranks 61st out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of forest area within protected areas rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of forest area within protected areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas (%).