Net foreign assets in Malawi
Malawi: Net foreign assets was -1.65 trillion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
-1.65 trillion current LCU
Change on year
down 35.0%
World rank
183rd
of 187 countries
All-time high
433.05 billion current LCU
in 2017
All-time low
-1.65 trillion current LCU
in 2024
Years of data
60
1965–2024
Net foreign assets in Malawi, 1965–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2024, net foreign assets in Malawi stood at -1.65 trillion current LCU. That is the lowest value across all 60 years on record.
The figure is down 35.0% on the previous year and down 784.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets in Malawi peaked at 433.05 billion current LCU in 2017 and was at its lowest, -1.65 trillion current LCU, in 2024.
Malawi ranks 183rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net foreign assets in Malawi, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 17.82 million current LCU | — |
| 1966 | 13.01 million current LCU | -27.0% |
| 1967 | 12.61 million current LCU | -3.1% |
| 1968 | 14.08 million current LCU | +11.6% |
| 1969 | 14.02 million current LCU | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 18.84 million current LCU | +34.4% |
| 1971 | 17.78 million current LCU | -5.6% |
| 1972 | 20.32 million current LCU | +14.2% |
| 1973 | 45.26 million current LCU | +122.8% |
| 1974 | 60.86 million current LCU | +34.5% |
| 1975 | 40.52 million current LCU | -33.4% |
| 1976 | -30.35 million current LCU | -174.9% |
| 1977 | 4.40 million current LCU | -114.5% |
| 1978 | -13.39 million current LCU | -404.3% |
| 1979 | -90.19 million current LCU | +573.8% |
| 1980 | -90.10 million current LCU | -0.1% |
| 1981 | -132.84 million current LCU | +47.4% |
| 1982 | -182.13 million current LCU | +37.1% |
| 1983 | -234.64 million current LCU | +28.8% |
| 1984 | -162.32 million current LCU | -30.8% |
| 1985 | -262.97 million current LCU | +62.0% |
| 1986 | -405.80 million current LCU | +54.3% |
| 1987 | -291.43 million current LCU | -28.2% |
| 1988 | -46.43 million current LCU | -84.1% |
| 1989 | -106.51 million current LCU | +129.4% |
| 1990 | -48.54 million current LCU | -54.4% |
| 1991 | -31.88 million current LCU | -34.3% |
| 1992 | -586.01 million current LCU | +1738.1% |
| 1993 | -400.24 million current LCU | -31.7% |
| 1994 | -1.75 billion current LCU | +338.3% |
| 1995 | -76.01 million current LCU | -95.7% |
| 1996 | 1.69 billion current LCU | -2322.7% |
| 1997 | 1.42 billion current LCU | -15.9% |
| 1998 | 8.14 billion current LCU | +472.9% |
| 1999 | 8.20 billion current LCU | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 13.41 billion current LCU | +63.6% |
| 2001 | 11.89 billion current LCU | -11.3% |
| 2002 | 3.32 billion current LCU | -72.1% |
| 2003 | 4.31 billion current LCU | +29.8% |
| 2004 | 5.92 billion current LCU | +37.3% |
| 2005 | 11.30 billion current LCU | +90.8% |
| 2006 | 19.11 billion current LCU | +69.1% |
| 2007 | 27.84 billion current LCU | +45.7% |
| 2008 | 19.49 billion current LCU | -30.0% |
| 2009 | -2.35 billion current LCU | -112.0% |
| 2010 | 20.95 billion current LCU | -992.4% |
| 2011 | 3.73 billion current LCU | -82.2% |
| 2012 | 32.28 billion current LCU | +764.9% |
| 2013 | 114.30 billion current LCU | +254.2% |
| 2014 | 240.93 billion current LCU | +110.8% |
| 2015 | 348.67 billion current LCU | +44.7% |
| 2016 | 336.56 billion current LCU | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 433.05 billion current LCU | +28.7% |
| 2018 | 152.46 billion current LCU | -64.8% |
| 2019 | 163.30 billion current LCU | +7.1% |
| 2020 | -348.30 billion current LCU | -313.3% |
| 2021 | -422.93 billion current LCU | +21.4% |
| 2022 | -588.42 billion current LCU | +39.1% |
| 2023 | -1.22 trillion current LCU | +107.5% |
| 2024 | -1.65 trillion current LCU | +35.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's -1.65 trillion current LCU is below the median for low income countries, which is 280.01 billion current LCU. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's -1.65 trillion current LCU is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 241.93 billion current LCU. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +2322.7% | -76.01 million current LCU | 1.69 billion current LCU |
| 1992 | -1738.1% | -31.88 million current LCU | -586.01 million current LCU |
| 2010 | +992.4% | -2.35 billion current LCU | 20.95 billion current LCU |
| 2012 | +764.9% | 3.73 billion current LCU | 32.28 billion current LCU |
| 1979 | -573.8% | -13.39 million current LCU | -90.19 million current LCU |
| 1998 | +472.9% | 1.42 billion current LCU | 8.14 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 14.31 million current LCU | 12.61 million current LCU | 17.82 million current LCU | 5 |
| 1970s | 7.41 million current LCU | -90.19 million current LCU | 60.86 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -191.52 million current LCU | -405.80 million current LCU | -46.43 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.65 billion current LCU | -1.75 billion current LCU | 8.20 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.42 billion current LCU | -2.35 billion current LCU | 27.84 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 184.62 billion current LCU | 3.73 billion current LCU | 433.05 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | -845.72 billion current LCU | -1.65 trillion current LCU | -348.30 billion current LCU | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More financial sector data for Malawi
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 0.1505 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 0.1099 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 0.1505 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net foreign assets in Malawi?
- Net foreign assets in Malawi was -1.65 trillion current LCU in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net foreign assets recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 433.05 billion current LCU in 2017.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.65 trillion current LCU in 2024.
- How does Malawi rank for net foreign assets?
- Malawi ranks 183rd out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
- Is net foreign assets rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 784.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Net foreign assets (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Net foreign assets are the sum of foreign assets held by monetary authorities and deposit money banks, less their foreign liabilities. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.