Manufactures imports (% of merchandise imports) in Malawi
Malawi: Manufactures imports (% of merchandise imports) was 64.9% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Manufactures imports in Malawi, 1966–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 64.9% for manufactures imports in 2025.
That represents a change of down 4.7% on the previous year and down 10.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, manufactures imports in Malawi peaked at 80.8% in 1978 and was at its lowest, 63.4%, in 2002.
Malawi ranks 77th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Manufactures imports (% of merchandise imports) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 71.5% | — |
| 1967 | 72.8% | +1.8% |
| 1968 | 75.8% | +4.0% |
| 1969 | 76.7% | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 71.7% | -6.4% |
| 1971 | 74.4% | +3.7% |
| 1972 | 75.3% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 72.9% | -3.2% |
| 1974 | 74.1% | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 77.9% | +5.1% |
| 1976 | 73.5% | -5.6% |
| 1977 | 76.2% | +3.7% |
| 1978 | 80.8% | +6.0% |
| 1979 | 76.7% | -5.1% |
| 1980 | 74.5% | -2.8% |
| 1981 | 69.6% | -6.6% |
| 1982 | 72.3% | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 70.8% | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 71.8% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 75.7% | +5.4% |
| 1986 | 76.9% | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 74.8% | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 78.0% | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 78.2% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 74.0% | -5.4% |
| 1995 | 73.4% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 74.0% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 72.1% | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 69.3% | -3.9% |
| 2002 | 63.4% | -8.5% |
| 2003 | 68.8% | +8.5% |
| 2004 | 68.7% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 69.4% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 71.7% | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 73.5% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 74.7% | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 75.3% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 73.5% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 74.3% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 79.3% | +6.7% |
| 2013 | 71.6% | -9.7% |
| 2014 | 72.2% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 72.8% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 67.1% | -7.8% |
| 2017 | 74.5% | +11.0% |
| 2018 | 75.1% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 77.8% | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 73.6% | -5.3% |
| 2021 | 77.4% | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 70.1% | -9.4% |
| 2023 | 67.5% | -3.8% |
| 2024 | 68.1% | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 64.9% | -4.7% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 64.9% is above the median for low income countries, which is 51.0%, 1.3× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 64.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 56.3%, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 74.2% | 71.5% | 76.7% | 4 |
| 1970s | 75.3% | 71.7% | 80.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 73.3% | 69.6% | 76.9% | 8 |
| 1990s | 75.5% | 73.4% | 78.2% | 5 |
| 2000s | 70.7% | 63.4% | 75.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.8% | 67.1% | 79.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.3% | 64.9% | 77.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More private sector data for Malawi
- Merchandise trade 30.9% (2025)
- Food imports 11.2% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 3.66 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 1.01 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 93.3% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 5.1% (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 imports in Malawi?
- Manufactures imports in Malawi was 64.9% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest manufactures imports recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 80.8% in 1978.
- What is the lowest manufactures imports recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.4% in 2002.
- How does Malawi rank for manufactures imports?
- Malawi ranks 77th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is manufactures imports rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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 imports (% of merchandise imports). 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 imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a 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.