Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports) in Malawi
Malawi: Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports) was 5.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Manufactures exports in Malawi, 1966–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 5.1% for manufactures exports in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 36.5% on the previous year and down 64.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, manufactures exports in Malawi peaked at 17.7% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 1966.
That places Malawi 166th out of 196 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 1.2% | — |
| 1967 | 1.2% | +4.5% |
| 1968 | 2.1% | +73.7% |
| 1969 | 2.9% | +34.4% |
| 1970 | 3.2% | +10.8% |
| 1971 | 2.2% | -29.3% |
| 1972 | 2.1% | -5.4% |
| 1973 | 2.7% | +29.1% |
| 1974 | 4.4% | +60.7% |
| 1975 | 4.7% | +7.7% |
| 1976 | 3.4% | -29.0% |
| 1977 | 3.6% | +7.7% |
| 1978 | 3.8% | +5.1% |
| 1979 | 3.7% | -3.6% |
| 1980 | 6.4% | +74.1% |
| 1981 | 7.6% | +19.6% |
| 1982 | 5.4% | -29.1% |
| 1983 | 3.8% | -30.1% |
| 1984 | 2.7% | -29.2% |
| 1985 | 4.9% | +82.9% |
| 1986 | 4.2% | -14.2% |
| 1987 | 5.3% | +27.0% |
| 1990 | 5.1% | -4.4% |
| 1991 | 3.4% | -33.6% |
| 1994 | 11.0% | +224.6% |
| 1995 | 7.3% | -33.3% |
| 1996 | 8.7% | +18.0% |
| 1997 | 8.7% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 6.9% | -20.7% |
| 1999 | 8.7% | +26.2% |
| 2000 | 7.4% | -14.1% |
| 2001 | 10.2% | +37.0% |
| 2002 | 11.8% | +15.8% |
| 2003 | 11.5% | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 15.4% | +34.0% |
| 2005 | 16.4% | +6.6% |
| 2006 | 13.5% | -17.8% |
| 2007 | 10.5% | -22.1% |
| 2008 | 10.0% | -4.6% |
| 2009 | 8.6% | -14.8% |
| 2010 | 8.2% | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 10.2% | +24.4% |
| 2012 | 6.5% | -36.4% |
| 2013 | 8.0% | +22.4% |
| 2014 | 17.7% | +122.4% |
| 2015 | 14.5% | -18.0% |
| 2016 | 13.0% | -10.3% |
| 2017 | 6.8% | -47.8% |
| 2018 | 6.7% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 6.8% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 6.4% | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 7.9% | +23.2% |
| 2022 | 11.7% | +46.8% |
| 2023 | 8.5% | -27.4% |
| 2024 | 8.0% | -5.0% |
| 2025 | 5.1% | -36.5% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 5.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 7.5%, 68% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 5.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.5%, 53% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +224.6% | 3.4% | 11.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.8% | 1.2% | 2.9% | 4 |
| 1970s | 3.4% | 2.1% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.0% | 2.7% | 7.6% | 8 |
| 1990s | 7.5% | 3.4% | 11.0% | 8 |
| 2000s | 11.5% | 7.4% | 16.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.9% | 6.5% | 17.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.9% | 5.1% | 11.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 163 Ghana 5.8% compare
- 164 Kuwait 5.7% compare
- 165 Azerbaijan 5.3% compare
- 167 Cote d'Ivoire 5.0% compare
- 168 Mozambique 4.9% compare
- 169 Afghanistan 4.8% compare
More private sector data for Malawi
- Merchandise trade 30.9% (2025)
- Food imports 11.2% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 64.9% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 3.66 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 1.01 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 93.3% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 947.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 483.71 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 42.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0635 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is manufactures exports in Malawi?
- Manufactures exports in Malawi was 5.1% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest manufactures exports recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 17.7% in 2014.
- What is the lowest manufactures exports recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 1966.
- How does Malawi rank for manufactures exports?
- Malawi ranks 166th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is manufactures exports rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 64.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Manufactures comprise commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 5 (chemicals), 6 (basic manufactures), 7 (machinery and transport equipment), and 8 (miscellaneous manufactured goods), excluding division 68 (non-ferrous metals). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.