Malawi: Aquaculture production (metric tons)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Malawi's aquaculture production (metric tons) rose 20 on 2023 (from 4,780 to 4,800).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +150.83 and a typical year strayed about 1,395 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 4,570 in 2017 and the biggest yearly fall was 3,203 in 2018. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 10% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Malawi had the 103rd highest value of the 215 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Malawi in the 2024 ranking

• Morocco — 100th of 215: 5,171
• Austria — 101st of 215: 5,008
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 102nd of 215: 4,932
• Sudan — 104th of 215: 4,450
• Lithuania — 105th of 215: 4,440
• Dominican Republic — 106th of 215: 4,200

What this measures

Aquaculture is understood to mean the farming of aquatic organisms including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants. Aquaculture production specifically refers to output from aquaculture activities, which are designated for final harvest for consumption.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 65 values

Aquaculture production (metric tons) in nearby economies

• Angola — 21,788 (2024)
• Benin — 2,460 (2024)
• Botswana — 156 (2024)
• Burkina Faso — 1,293 (2024)
• Burundi — 645 (2024)
• Cabo Verde — 40 (2024)
• Cameroon — 14,100 (2024)
• Central African Republic — 410 (2024)
• Chad — 115 (2024)
• Comoros — 0 (2024)
• Congo, Dem. Rep.

More environment data for Malawi

• Population in largest city — 1.39 million (2025)
• Population in the largest city (% of urban population) — 35.64% (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million — 1.39 million (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population) — 6.27% (2025)
• Rural population — 18.31 million (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 82.41% (2025)
• Urban population — 3.91 million (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 17.6% (2025)
• Capture fisheries production (metric tons) — 190,090 (2024)
• Total fisheries production (metric tons)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Malawi's aquaculture production (metric tons)?

4,800 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How does Malawi rank?

103rd highest of 215 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in aquaculture production (metric tons) unusual for Malawi?

In 2024, Malawi's aquaculture production (metric tons) rose 20 on 2023 (from 4,780 to 4,800). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +150.83 and a typical year strayed about 1,395 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Food and Agriculture Organization., Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator ER.FSH.AQUA.MT, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Food and Agriculture Organization., Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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