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Government debt in Malawi

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

Malawi's government debt is 96.60 % — #107 of 125 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

96.60%

Checked 24 Oct 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 1.0 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in Malawi over time

101.50 %59.70 %17.90 %101.50 % · 200217.90 % · 20062002: 101.50 %2003: 84.70 %2004: 74.70 %2005: 70.90 %2006: 17.90 %2007: 18.90 %2008: 23.50 %2009: 23.50 %2010: 19.30 %2011: 20.00 %2012: 28.60 %2013: 35.30 %2014: 33.50 %2015: 35.50 %2016: 37.10 %2017: 40.00 %2018: 40.80 %2019: 41.20 %2020: 53.90 %2021: 66.50 %2022: 75.70 %2023: 84.50 %2024: 86.50 %2025: 96.60 %20022013202596.60 %
24 official observations, 2002 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#107 of 125
lower is better
Ranked behind
14 %
18 of 125 countries
Latest move
▲ 10.10 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
4.90 pp
peak 101.50 % in 2002
Full series
▼ 4.90 pp
since 2002

In Africa: #19 of 21vs median 54.70 %: +41.90 pp (worse)

Among 125 countries

6 of 125 countries between 12.30 % and 17.90 %2 of 125 countries between 17.90 % and 23.49 %10 of 125 countries between 23.49 % and 29.09 %11 of 125 countries between 29.09 % and 34.68 %8 of 125 countries between 34.68 % and 40.28 %9 of 125 countries between 40.28 % and 45.88 %7 of 125 countries between 45.88 % and 51.47 %13 of 125 countries between 51.47 % and 57.07 %8 of 125 countries between 57.07 % and 62.66 %10 of 125 countries between 62.66 % and 68.26 %4 of 125 countries between 68.26 % and 73.85 %3 of 125 countries between 73.85 % and 79.45 %7 of 125 countries between 79.45 % and 85.05 %6 of 125 countries between 85.05 % and 90.64 %2 of 125 countries between 90.64 % and 96.24 %6 of 125 countries between 96.24 % and 101.83 %2 of 125 countries between 101.83 % and 107.43 %1 of 125 countries between 107.43 % and 113.02 %2 of 125 countries between 113.02 % and 118.62 %1 of 125 countries between 124.22 % and 129.81 %2 of 125 countries between 135.41 % and 141.00 %5 of 125 countries between 141.00 % and 146.60 %median 54.70 %Malawi: ahead of 14 % of the 125 countries with a published government debtMalawi 96.60 %12.30 %146.60 %
Half of all 125 countries sit between 36.10 % and 81.70 %. Malawi is ahead of 14 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs Malawi
105 Brazil93.30 %−3.30 pp
106 Barbados96.20 %−0.40 pp
107 Malawi96.60 %—
108 Sri Lanka96.80 %+0.20 pp
109 Suriname96.90 %+0.30 pp

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about Malawi

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare Malawi with another country →Everything about Malawi →
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