Malawi (MWI)

Malawi is a country in Africa with a population of 22,454,400. Malawi's history is shaped by its diverse Bantu-speaking people groups and their rich pre-colonial traditions. European influence from the late 19th century led to a focus on cash crops like tobacco and tea, shaping its economy. The transition to independence fostered a strong sense of national identity, emphasizing hospitality and community. Christianity, introduced by missionaries, became the predominant spiritual force, deeply intertwined with traditional African beliefs and social structures, often playing a key role in community well-being and cultural expression.

People Groups of Malawi:

Malawi Fast Facts:

Total People Groups:22
Total Population:22,454,400
Unengaged and Unreached:
People Groups:1
Population:27,500
Engaged yet Unreached:
People Groups:12
Population:9,676,400
No Longer Unreached:
People Groups:9
Population:12,750,500

Malawi Realities:

Weighted GSEC: 3  
Dying Daily: 314  
Dying Daily without Christ: 306  
Birth Rate: 32.4  
Death Rate: 6

People Groups of Malawi

Strategic Progress Index
All

22 people groups

PhotoPeople Group IDNameCountryPopulation ▼Strategic Progress IndexLanguageReligion
Chewa NyanjaChewa NyanjaMalawi8,520,000No Longer UnreachedChichewaEthnoreligion
LomweLomweMalawi5,030,000Engaged yet UnreachedLomweEthnoreligion
Manganja  NyanjaManganja NyanjaMalawi2,700,000No Longer UnreachedChichewaEthnoreligion
YaoYaoMalawi1,745,000Engaged yet UnreachedYaoSunni Islam
TumbukaTumbukaMalawi1,715,000Engaged yet UnreachedTumbukaEthnoreligion
SenaSenaMalawi620,000No Longer UnreachedMalawi SenaEthnoreligion
TongaTongaMalawi576,000No Longer UnreachedTonga (Nyasa)Ethnoreligion
KokolaKokolaMalawi406,000Engaged yet UnreachedKokolaEthnoreligion
NgoniNgoniMalawi318,000Engaged yet UnreachedTumbukaEthnoreligion
Deaf MalawiansDeaf MalawiansMalawi200,000Engaged yet UnreachedMalawian Sign LanguageEthnoreligion
NgondeNgondeMalawi194,000No Longer UnreachedNyakyusa-NgondeEthnoreligion
NdaliNdaliMalawi128,000Engaged yet UnreachedNdaliEthnoreligion
LambyaLambyaMalawi83,500No Longer UnreachedLambyaEthnoreligion
GujaratisGujaratisMalawi66,000Engaged yet UnreachedGujaratiSunni Islam
NyakyusaNyakyusaMalawi28,000No Longer UnreachedNyakyusa-NgondeEthnoreligion
WandyaWandyaMalawi27,500Unengaged and UnreachedNyiha (Malawi)Ethnoreligion
Kachi KoliKachi KoliMalawi25,500Engaged yet UnreachedGujaratiHinduism
PortuguesePortugueseMalawi21,500Engaged yet UnreachedPortugueseRoman Catholicism
NyihaNyihaMalawi15,500No Longer UnreachedNyiha (Malawi)Animism
KachchiKachchiMalawi15,000Engaged yet UnreachedKachhiSunni Islam
BritishBritishMalawi13,500No Longer UnreachedEnglishUnaffiliated
GreeksGreeksMalawi6,400Engaged yet UnreachedModern Greek (1453-)Eastern Orthodox Christianity

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Data Standards section.

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