Malawi: Capture fisheries production (metric tons)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Malawi's capture fisheries production (metric tons) fell 10.7% on 2023 (from 212,818 to 190,090).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +5.3% and a typical year strayed about 18.4% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 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 59.9% in 1965 and the biggest yearly fall was 27.2% in 1998. 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 14% 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 66th 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

• Korea, Dem. People's Rep. — 63rd of 215: 208,365
• Venezuela, RB — 64th of 215: 202,663
• Georgia — 65th of 215: 200,606
• Germany — 67th of 215: 186,393
• Yemen, Rep. — 68th of 215: 152,430
• Madagascar — 69th of 215: 149,869

What this measures

Capture fisheries production measures the volume of fish catches landed by a country for all commercial, industrial, recreational and subsistence purposes.

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

All 65 values

Capture fisheries production (metric tons) in nearby economies

• Angola — 610,036 (2024)
• Benin — 61,561 (2024)
• Botswana — 40 (2024)
• Burkina Faso — 31,772 (2024)
• Burundi — 18,855 (2024)
• Cabo Verde — 5,547 (2024)
• Cameroon — 236,100 (2024)
• Central African Republic — 29,000 (2024)
• Chad — 109,000 (2024)
• Comoros — 17,728 (2024)

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)
• Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 4,800 (2024)
• Total fisheries production (metric tons)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Malawi's capture fisheries production (metric tons)?

190,090 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 1,298% from 13,600 in 1960 (4.21% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 223,606 in 2018 and the lowest 13,600 in 1960.

How does Malawi rank?

66th highest of 215 economies with data for 2024.

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

In 2024, Malawi's capture fisheries production (metric tons) fell 10.7% on 2023 (from 212,818 to 190,090). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +5.3% and a typical year strayed about 18.4% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator ER.FSH.CAPT.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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