Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index in Malawi
Malawi: Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index was 0.3607 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index in Malawi, 1960–2023
Source: Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html.
Analysis
The most recent figure for standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in Malawi is 0.3607, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 61.9% on the previous year and up 206.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in Malawi peaked at 2.08 in 1974 and was at its lowest, -2.38, in 1992.
Malawi ranks 42nd of 189 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -0.5285 | — |
| 1961 | 1.55 | -392.5% |
| 1962 | 1.42 | -8.2% |
| 1963 | 1.47 | +3.5% |
| 1964 | -1.09 | -174.1% |
| 1965 | 0.3476 | -131.9% |
| 1966 | -0.942 | -371.0% |
| 1967 | 0.6766 | -171.8% |
| 1968 | 0.1522 | -77.5% |
| 1969 | 0.3319 | +118.1% |
| 1970 | -0.0187 | -105.6% |
| 1971 | -0.0969 | +418.2% |
| 1972 | -0.43 | +343.8% |
| 1973 | -1.11 | +159.3% |
| 1974 | 2.08 | -287.0% |
| 1975 | -0.6475 | -131.1% |
| 1976 | 1.4 | -316.4% |
| 1977 | -0.2589 | -118.5% |
| 1978 | 1.89 | -830.4% |
| 1979 | 0.4697 | -75.2% |
| 1980 | 0.8447 | +79.8% |
| 1981 | -0.9356 | -210.8% |
| 1982 | 1.21 | -229.0% |
| 1983 | -1.28 | -206.2% |
| 1984 | 0.3288 | -125.7% |
| 1985 | 0.9499 | +188.9% |
| 1986 | 0.8275 | -12.9% |
| 1987 | -1.7 | -305.5% |
| 1988 | 0.2468 | -114.5% |
| 1989 | 1.99 | +707.7% |
| 1990 | -1.57 | -178.7% |
| 1991 | -0.3871 | -75.3% |
| 1992 | -2.38 | +515.4% |
| 1993 | -0.7088 | -70.2% |
| 1994 | -1.72 | +143.0% |
| 1995 | -1.28 | -25.4% |
| 1996 | 0.088 | -106.8% |
| 1997 | 0.9222 | +948.0% |
| 1998 | -1.62 | -275.8% |
| 1999 | 0.7756 | -147.9% |
| 2000 | 0.5238 | -32.5% |
| 2001 | 0.1856 | -64.6% |
| 2002 | -1.03 | -652.7% |
| 2003 | -0.9389 | -8.5% |
| 2004 | 0.2247 | -123.9% |
| 2005 | -1.97 | -977.4% |
| 2006 | -0.9699 | -50.8% |
| 2007 | -0.1435 | -85.2% |
| 2008 | -0.2487 | +73.3% |
| 2009 | -0.0721 | -71.0% |
| 2010 | -1.26 | +1650.9% |
| 2011 | 0.3207 | -125.4% |
| 2012 | -0.7224 | -325.3% |
| 2013 | -0.3396 | -53.0% |
| 2014 | -0.6969 | +105.2% |
| 2015 | -1.36 | +95.9% |
| 2016 | -0.9884 | -27.6% |
| 2017 | 0.4113 | -141.6% |
| 2018 | 0.4804 | +16.8% |
| 2019 | 1.74 | +261.6% |
| 2020 | -0.4434 | -125.5% |
| 2021 | -1.87 | +321.8% |
| 2022 | 0.9477 | -150.7% |
| 2023 | 0.3607 | -61.9% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 0.3607 is above the median for low income countries, which is -0.4634. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 0.3607 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -0.1805. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | -1650.9% | -0.0721 | -1.26 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.3383 | -1.09 | 1.55 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.3279 | -1.11 | 2.08 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.248 | -1.7 | 1.99 | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.7888 | -2.38 | 0.9222 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.4436 | -1.97 | 0.5238 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.2425 | -1.36 | 1.74 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.2513 | -1.87 | 0.9477 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
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 standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in Malawi?
- Standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in Malawi was 0.3607 in 2023, according to Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html.
- What is the highest standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 2.08 in 1974.
- What is the lowest standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.38 in 1992.
- How does Malawi rank for standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index?
- Malawi ranks 42nd out of 189 countries with data for 2023.
- Is standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 206.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html, published as part of Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The SPEI fulfills the requirements of a drought index since its multi-scalar character enables it to be used by different scientific disciplines to detect, monitor, and analyze droughts. Like the sc-PDSI and the SPI, the SPEI can measure drought severity according to its intensity and duration, and can identify the onset and end of drought episodes. The SPEI allows comparison of drought severity through time and space, since it can be calculated over a wide range of climates, as can the SPI.