Transport services (% of commercial service exports) in Malawi
Malawi: Transport services (% of commercial service exports) was 14.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Transport services in Malawi, 1977–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service exports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for transport services in Malawi is 14.5%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.1% on the previous year and down 30.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in Malawi peaked at 58.2% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 14.5%, in 2025.
Malawi ranks 104th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Transport services (% of commercial service exports) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 56.9% | — |
| 1978 | 53.7% | -5.8% |
| 1979 | 55.6% | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 49.8% | -10.3% |
| 1981 | 50.6% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 34.9% | -31.1% |
| 1983 | 42.6% | +22.2% |
| 1984 | 51.9% | +21.8% |
| 1985 | 48.8% | -6.0% |
| 1986 | 47.7% | -2.2% |
| 1987 | 58.2% | +22.1% |
| 1988 | 44.1% | -24.4% |
| 1989 | 45.6% | +3.5% |
| 1990 | 46.1% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 40.0% | -13.1% |
| 1992 | 56.7% | +41.6% |
| 1993 | 54.8% | -3.4% |
| 1994 | 39.9% | -27.1% |
| 1995 | 27.6% | -30.9% |
| 1996 | 29.1% | +5.3% |
| 1997 | 27.3% | -6.2% |
| 1998 | 23.1% | -15.1% |
| 1999 | 21.9% | -5.4% |
| 2000 | 25.7% | +17.4% |
| 2001 | 43.6% | +69.9% |
| 2002 | 32.7% | -25.1% |
| 2003 | 44.5% | +36.2% |
| 2004 | 43.3% | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 46.1% | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 49.6% | +7.6% |
| 2007 | 45.6% | -8.1% |
| 2008 | 39.5% | -13.5% |
| 2009 | 41.5% | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 43.5% | +4.7% |
| 2011 | 22.0% | -49.3% |
| 2012 | 19.8% | -10.3% |
| 2013 | 17.7% | -10.3% |
| 2014 | 20.2% | +13.9% |
| 2015 | 20.9% | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 18.0% | -14.1% |
| 2017 | 15.8% | -12.1% |
| 2018 | 17.5% | +11.2% |
| 2019 | 26.1% | +48.7% |
| 2020 | 17.8% | -31.6% |
| 2021 | 16.4% | -8.1% |
| 2022 | 18.0% | +9.8% |
| 2023 | 16.0% | -11.1% |
| 2024 | 15.5% | -3.4% |
| 2025 | 14.5% | -6.1% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 14.5% is above the median for low income countries, which is 13.1%, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 14.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.1%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 55.4% | 53.7% | 56.9% | 3 |
| 1980s | 47.4% | 34.9% | 58.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.6% | 21.9% | 56.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.2% | 25.7% | 49.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.2% | 15.8% | 43.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.4% | 14.5% | 18.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
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)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in Malawi?
- Transport services in Malawi was 14.5% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 58.2% in 1987.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.5% in 2025.
- How does Malawi rank for transport services?
- Malawi ranks 104th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Transport services (% of commercial service exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Transport is the process of carriage of people and objects from one location to another as well as related supporting and auxiliary services. Also included are postal and courier services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service exports which are commercial services provided by residents to non-residents.