Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted (%) in Malawi

Malawi: Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted (%) was 33.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
33.2%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
21st
of 178 countries
All-time high
56.1%
in 2000
All-time low
33.2%
in 2023
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Malawi, 2000–2024

02040602000201220242000: 56.12001: 55.92002: 55.52003: 552004: 54.42005: 53.62006: 52.72007: 51.52008: 50.12009: 48.52010: 46.82011: 45.12012: 43.52013: 41.92014: 40.52015: 39.22016: 37.92017: 36.82018: 35.82019: 34.92020: 34.12021: 33.62022: 33.32023: 33.22024: 33.2

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

The most recent figure for proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Malawi is 33.2%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

The figure is down 18.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Malawi peaked at 56.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 33.2%, in 2023.

Malawi ranks 21st of 178 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted (%) in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted (%) in Malawi, 2000 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2000 56.1% —
2001 55.9% -0.4%
2002 55.5% -0.7%
2003 55.0% -0.9%
2004 54.4% -1.1%
2005 53.6% -1.5%
2006 52.7% -1.7%
2007 51.5% -2.3%
2008 50.1% -2.7%
2009 48.5% -3.2%
2010 46.8% -3.5%
2011 45.1% -3.6%
2012 43.5% -3.5%
2013 41.9% -3.7%
2014 40.5% -3.3%
2015 39.2% -3.2%
2016 37.9% -3.3%
2017 36.8% -2.9%
2018 35.8% -2.7%
2019 34.9% -2.5%
2020 34.1% -2.3%
2021 33.6% -1.5%
2022 33.3% -0.9%
2023 33.2% -0.3%
2024 33.2% +0.0%

Malawi compared with similar countries

  • Malawi's 33.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 31.5%, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
  • Malawi's 33.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 24.4%, 1.4× the median. (45 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 53.3% 48.5% 56.1% 10
2010s 40.2% 34.9% 46.8% 10
2020s 33.5% 33.2% 34.1% 5

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 18 Lesotho 35.0% compare
  2. 19 Nigeria 33.8% compare
  3. 20 Pakistan 33.6% compare
  4. 21 Benin 33.2% compare
  5. 23 India 32.9% compare
  6. 24 Zambia 32.3% compare

See the full ranking of 210 places →

More infrastructure data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Malawi?
Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Malawi was 33.2% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of children moderately or severely stunted recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 56.1% in 2000.
What is the lowest proportion of children moderately or severely stunted recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 33.2% in 2023.
How does Malawi rank for proportion of children moderately or severely stunted?
Malawi ranks 21st out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
Is proportion of children moderately or severely stunted rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is down 18.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 15 October 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-children-moderately-or-severely-stunted-percent/malawi/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
210 places, 5,250 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed