Malawi
2020 Product Exports | Imports: $937M | $2.53B, 156 of 226 | 155 of 226
2020 Per Capita Product Exports | Imports: $49 | $132, 210 of 219 | 208 of 219
2019 Service Exports | Imports : $182M | $358M, 62 of 69 | 65 of 69
Overview In 2020 Malawi was the number 156 economy in the world in terms of total exports and the number 155 in total imports.
Exports The top exports of Malawi are Raw Tobacco ($488M), Raw Sugar ($97.9M), Tea ($83.6M), Dried Legumes ($50.4M), and Ground Nuts ($35.4M), exporting mostly to Belgium ($161M), United Kingdom ($51.9M), South Africa ($50.9M), Germany ($50.6M), and Zimbabwe ($43M).
Imports The top imports of Malawi are Refined Petroleum ($187M), Postage Stamps ($158M), Raw Tobacco ($116M), Packaged Medicaments ($115M), and Mixed Mineral or Chemical Fertilizers ($107M), importing mostly from South Africa ($549M), China ($394M), United Arab Emirates ($277M), India ($195M), and Zambia ($149M).
Location Malawi borders Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia by land.
Latest Trends
#permalink to sectionLatest Trade
#permalink to sectionThe following section uses the most recent trade data from partners of Malawi.
Disclaimer: data is presented based on availability and only countries that use the harmonized system are being shown.
*All data is converted to USD using January 2020 exchange rates when data is reported in local currency.
Latest Data
#permalink to sectionData is presented based on data availability. Only countries using the Harmonic System (HS) are selected. Every source is shown using their own latest twelve months of data.
*All data is converted to USD using January 2020 exchange rates when data is reported in local currency.
Historical Data
#permalink to sectionYearly Exports
#permalink to sectionTop Export (2020): Raw Tobacco, $488M
Top Destination (2020): Belgium, $161M
In 2020, Malawi exported a total of $937M, making it the number 156 exporter in the world. During the last five reported years the exports of Malawi have changed by -$257M from $1.19B in 2015 to $937M in 2020.
The most recent exports are led by Raw Tobacco ($488M), Raw Sugar ($97.9M), Tea ($83.6M), Dried Legumes ($50.4M), and Ground Nuts ($35.4M). The most common destination for the exports of Malawi are Belgium ($161M), United Kingdom ($51.9M), South Africa ($50.9M), Germany ($50.6M), and Zimbabwe ($43M).
Yearly Imports
#permalink to sectionTop Import (2020): Refined Petroleum, $187M
Top Origin (2020): South Africa, $549M
In 2020 Malawi imported $2.53B, making it the number 155 trade destination in the world. During the last five reported years the imports of Malawi changed by $301M from $2.23B in 2015 to $2.53B in 2020.
The most recent imports of Malawi are led by Refined Petroleum ($187M), Postage Stamps ($158M), Raw Tobacco ($116M), Packaged Medicaments ($115M), and Mixed Mineral or Chemical Fertilizers ($107M). The most common import partners for Malawi are South Africa ($549M), China ($394M), United Arab Emirates ($277M), India ($195M), and Zambia ($149M).
Market Growth
#permalink to sectionFastest Growing Export Markets (2019 - 2020)
- United Kingdom, $24.1M (+ 86.7%)
- Germany, $21.2M (+ 72%)
- Zimbabwe, $18M (+ 72.2%)
Fastest Growing Import Markets (2019 - 2020)
- Mozambique, $57M (+ 136%)
- South Africa, $55M (+ 11.1%)
- Zambia, $14.2M (+ 10.6%)
Service Trade
#permalink to sectionService Trade
#permalink to sectionMalawi Exports Services (2019): $182M
Malawi Imports Services (2019): $358M
In 2019, Malawi exported $182M worth of services. The top services exported by Malawi in 2019 were Computer and information services ($44.1M), Transportation ($30.3M), Business travel ($30.2M), Insurance services ($25.9M), and Financial services ($18.7M).
The top services imported by Malawi in 2019 were Transportation ($94.4M), Other business services ($62.5M), Business travel ($53.7M), Personal travel ($53.5M), and Insurance services ($33.8M).
Tariffs
#permalink to sectionTariffs by Product
#permalink to sectionThe top product import tariffs by their MFN Ad Valorem value for Malawi are Acrylic & vinyl polymer based paint, varnish, in wate (25%)and Acrylic or vinyl polymer paint or varnish, non-aqueou (25%).
Click any of the products in the bar chart to see the specific Ad Valorem Duty Rates by partner country.
*The tariffs applied to imports for Malawi are:
Economic Complexity
#permalink to sectionMost Specialized Products by RCA Index
#permalink to sectionMalawi has a high level of specialization in Raw Tobacco (1.05k), Tea (194), Ground Nuts (156), Dried Legumes (75.4), and Raw Sugar (69.9). Specialization is measured using RCA, an index that takes the ratio between Malawi observed and expected exports in each product.
Most Complex Products by PCI
#permalink to sectionThe highest complexity exports of Malawi according to the product complexity index (PCI) are Machine-tool for working stone, ceramics, cold glass (1.1), Self-propelled earth moving, road making, etc machines (0.78), Containers for compressed, liquefied gas, iron, steel (0.38), Stoves, ranges/barbecues,etc, non-electric, iron/steel (0.36), and Hydraulic turbines, water wheels, regulators thereof (0.27). PCI measures the knowledge intensity of a product by considering the knowledge intensity of its exporters.
Export Opportunities by Relatedness
#permalink to sectionThe top export opportunities for Malawi according to the relatedness index, are Gold (0.12), Cocoa Beans (0.12), Palm Oil (0.11), Bananas (0.1), and Manganese Ore (0.1). Relatedness measures the distance between a country's current exports and each product. The barchart show only products that Malawi is not specialized in.
Product Space
#permalink to sectionThe product space is a network connecting products that are likely to be co-exported. The product space can be used to predict future exports, since countries are more likely to start exporting products that are related to current exports. Relatedness measures the distance between a product, and all of the products a country currently specializes in.
Diversification Frontier
#permalink to sectionThe Complexity-Relatedness diagram compares the risk vs strategic value of a country's potential export oppotunities. Relatedness is predictive of the probability that a country increases its exports in a product. Complexity, is associated with higher levels of income, economic growth, less income inequality, and lower greenhouse emissions.
Economic Complexity Ranking
#permalink to sectionThese economic complexity rankings use 6 digit exports classified according to the HS96 classification. We consider only countries with population of at least 1 million and exports of at least $1 billion, and products with world trade over $500 million. To explore different rankings and vary these parameters visit the custom rankings section.
