Official exchange rate in Malawi
Malawi: Official exchange rate was 1,161 LCU per US$, period average in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
1,161 LCU per US$, period average
Change on year
up 22.3%
World rank
28th
of 215 countries
All-time high
1,161 LCU per US$, period average
in 2023
All-time low
0.7143 LCU per US$, period average
in 1960
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Official exchange rate in Malawi, 1960–2023
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in LCU per US$, period average.
Analysis
In 2023, official exchange rate in Malawi stood at 1,161 LCU per US$, period average. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
That represents a change of up 22.3% on the previous year and up 218.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, official exchange rate in Malawi peaked at 1,161 LCU per US$, period average in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.7143 LCU per US$, period average, in 1960.
That places Malawi 28th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Official exchange rate in Malawi, year by year
| Year | LCU per US$, period average | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.7143 LCU per US$, period average | — |
| 1961 | 0.7143 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.7143 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.7143 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.7143 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.7143 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.7143 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.7242 LCU per US$, period average | +1.4% |
| 1968 | 0.8333 LCU per US$, period average | +15.1% |
| 1969 | 0.8333 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.8333 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.8309 LCU per US$, period average | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 0.8016 LCU per US$, period average | -3.5% |
| 1973 | 0.8193 LCU per US$, period average | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 0.8412 LCU per US$, period average | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 0.8638 LCU per US$, period average | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 0.913 LCU per US$, period average | +5.7% |
| 1977 | 0.9029 LCU per US$, period average | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 0.8437 LCU per US$, period average | -6.6% |
| 1979 | 0.8169 LCU per US$, period average | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 0.8121 LCU per US$, period average | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 0.8953 LCU per US$, period average | +10.2% |
| 1982 | 1.06 LCU per US$, period average | +17.9% |
| 1983 | 1.17 LCU per US$, period average | +11.3% |
| 1984 | 1.41 LCU per US$, period average | +20.3% |
| 1985 | 1.72 LCU per US$, period average | +21.6% |
| 1986 | 1.86 LCU per US$, period average | +8.3% |
| 1987 | 2.21 LCU per US$, period average | +18.7% |
| 1988 | 2.56 LCU per US$, period average | +16.0% |
| 1989 | 2.76 LCU per US$, period average | +7.7% |
| 1990 | 2.73 LCU per US$, period average | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 2.8 LCU per US$, period average | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 3.6 LCU per US$, period average | +28.5% |
| 1993 | 4.4 LCU per US$, period average | +22.2% |
| 1994 | 8.74 LCU per US$, period average | +98.4% |
| 1995 | 15.28 LCU per US$, period average | +74.9% |
| 1996 | 15.31 LCU per US$, period average | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 16.44 LCU per US$, period average | +7.4% |
| 1998 | 31.07 LCU per US$, period average | +89.0% |
| 1999 | 44.09 LCU per US$, period average | +41.9% |
| 2000 | 59.54 LCU per US$, period average | +35.1% |
| 2001 | 72.2 LCU per US$, period average | +21.3% |
| 2002 | 76.69 LCU per US$, period average | +6.2% |
| 2003 | 97.43 LCU per US$, period average | +27.1% |
| 2004 | 108.9 LCU per US$, period average | +11.8% |
| 2005 | 118.42 LCU per US$, period average | +8.7% |
| 2006 | 136.01 LCU per US$, period average | +14.9% |
| 2007 | 139.96 LCU per US$, period average | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 140.52 LCU per US$, period average | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 141.17 LCU per US$, period average | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 150.49 LCU per US$, period average | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 156.52 LCU per US$, period average | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 249.11 LCU per US$, period average | +59.2% |
| 2013 | 364.41 LCU per US$, period average | +46.3% |
| 2014 | 424.9 LCU per US$, period average | +16.6% |
| 2015 | 499.61 LCU per US$, period average | +17.6% |
| 2016 | 718 LCU per US$, period average | +43.7% |
| 2017 | 730.27 LCU per US$, period average | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 732.33 LCU per US$, period average | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 745.54 LCU per US$, period average | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 749.53 LCU per US$, period average | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 805.9 LCU per US$, period average | +7.5% |
| 2022 | 949.04 LCU per US$, period average | +17.8% |
| 2023 | 1,161 LCU per US$, period average | +22.3% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 1,161 LCU per US$, period average is above the median for low income countries, which is 581.93 LCU per US$, period average, 2.0× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 1,161 LCU per US$, period average is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 581.93 LCU per US$, period average, 2.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Official exchange rate in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +98.4% | 4.4 LCU per US$, period average | 8.74 LCU per US$, period average |
| 1998 | +89.0% | 16.44 LCU per US$, period average | 31.07 LCU per US$, period average |
| 1995 | +74.9% | 8.74 LCU per US$, period average | 15.28 LCU per US$, period average |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.7391 LCU per US$, period average | 0.7143 LCU per US$, period average | 0.8333 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.8467 LCU per US$, period average | 0.8016 LCU per US$, period average | 0.913 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.65 LCU per US$, period average | 0.8121 LCU per US$, period average | 2.76 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.45 LCU per US$, period average | 2.73 LCU per US$, period average | 44.09 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2000s | 109.08 LCU per US$, period average | 59.54 LCU per US$, period average | 141.17 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2010s | 477.12 LCU per US$, period average | 150.49 LCU per US$, period average | 745.54 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2020s | 916.39 LCU per US$, period average | 749.53 LCU per US$, period average | 1,161 LCU per US$, period average | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 25 Yemen 1,355 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 26 Iraq 1,300 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 27 Argentina 1,241 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 29 Chile 951.33 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 30 Angola 911.99 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Benin 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Burkina Faso 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Cameroon 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Central African Republic 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Chad 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Congo 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Cote d'Ivoire 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Equatorial Guinea 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Gabon 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Guinea-Bissau 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Mali 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Niger 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Senegal 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 31 Togo 581.93 LCU per US$, period average compare
More financial sector data for Malawi
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ 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 official exchange rate in Malawi?
- Official exchange rate in Malawi was 1,161 LCU per US$, period average in 2023, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest official exchange rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 1,161 LCU per US$, period average in 2023.
- What is the lowest official exchange rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7143 LCU per US$, period average in 1960.
- How does Malawi rank for official exchange rate?
- Malawi ranks 28th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is official exchange rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 218.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Official exchange rate refers to the exchange rate determined by national authorities or to the rate determined in the legally sanctioned exchange market. This indicator represents the ratio of Local Currency Units relative to United States dollars.This indicator is derived as an average over the reference period.