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Photo: Rockwurm derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 01 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Malawi: Governance & Institutions
How well is the state actually run?
Malawi is placed joint 118th of 194 countries on governance & institutions in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Government Effectiveness -0.603 (2025); Statistical Performance Indicators 64.34 (2024).
Governance & Institutions
joint118th
of 194 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- -0.603Government Effectiveness, 2025Governance estimate (−2.5 weak to 2.5 strong)
- 64.34Statistical Performance Indicators, 2024SPI overall score (0–100)
- 34Corruption Perceptions Index, 2025CPI score (0–100, where 100 is very clean)
- 0.732Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index, 2025Judicial constraints on the executive index (0–1)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Malawi on governance & institutions — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Government Effectiveness
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: The quality of public services and the civil service that delivers them, and the credibility of a government's commitment to its own policies. Where the Corruption Perceptions Index asks whether a state is honest, this asks whether it is competent.
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
-0.603
Governance estimate (−2.5 weak to 2.5 strong)
Higher is better
Malawi: -0.603. Across the 209 countries in this edition, values run from -2.251 (South Sudan) to 2.092 (Singapore); the world median is 0.101.
- World median
- 0.101
- Best in Eastern Africa
- 0.86 Mauritius
- Land neighbours
- Mozambique -0.808 · Tanzania -0.255 · Zambia -0.39
Each grey tick is one of 209 countries in the 2025 edition.
Key 2 of 4
Statistical Performance Indicators
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Whether a state can measure its own country. Nothing else here tests the capacity of the statistical system itself.
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
64.34
SPI overall score (0–100)
Higher is better
Malawi: 64.34. Across the 188 countries in this edition, values run from 27.12 (South Sudan) to 94.14 (Norway); the world median is 69.3.
- World median
- 69.3
- Best in Eastern Africa
- 80.44 Mauritius
- Land neighbours
- Mozambique 66.74 · Tanzania 68.22 · Zambia 64.17
Each grey tick is one of 188 countries in the 2024 edition.
Key 3 of 4
Corruption Perceptions Index
Transparency International
Why it is a key: How much corruption the people who actually deal with a government perceive — an outcome, where the other keys measure the state’s capacity and the limits the law puts on it.
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0 (the data), CC BY-ND 4.0 (the website and report)
34
CPI score (0–100, where 100 is very clean)
Higher is better
Ranked 109th of 181 by Transparency International
Malawi: 34. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 9 (Somalia) to 89 (Denmark); the world median is 39.
- World median
- 39
- Best in Eastern Africa
- 68 Seychelles
- Land neighbours
- Mozambique 21 · Tanzania 40 · Zambia 37
Each grey tick is one of 182 countries in the 2025 edition.
Key 4 of 4
Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
Why it is a key: Whether the executive respects the constitution and obeys the courts, and whether the courts can rule against it freely — the law binding those who write it.
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
0.732
Judicial constraints on the executive index (0–1)
Higher is better
Malawi: 0.732. Across the 176 countries in this edition, values run from 0.003 (Nicaragua) to 0.988 (Australia); the world median is 0.676.
- World median
- 0.676
- Best in Eastern Africa
- 0.959 Seychelles
- Land neighbours
- Mozambique 0.577 · Tanzania 0.722 · Zambia 0.71
Each grey tick is one of 176 countries in the 2025 edition.
02Over time
Which way Malawi is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Government Effectiveness
Governance estimate (−2.5 weak to 2.5 strong) · higher is better
MalawiWorld median
Malawi rose from -0.804 in 2000 to -0.603 in 2025; the world median went from -0.397 to 0.101.
Every year’s figures
Year Malawi World median 2025 -0.603 0.1006 2024 -0.631 0.0098 2023 -0.672 -0.0408 2022 -0.693 -0.0305 2021 -0.581 -0.0158 2020 -0.648 -0.0171 2019 -0.573 0.0150 2018 -0.520 0.0159 2017 -0.459 0.0158 2016 -0.497 0.0225 2015 -0.466 0.0038 2014 -0.426 0.0194 2013 -0.445 -0.0758 2012 -0.414 -0.0839 2011 -0.404 -0.1221 2010 -0.375 -0.1145 2009 -0.409 -0.1609 2008 -0.499 -0.2134 2007 -0.822 -0.3260 2006 -0.877 -0.3310 2005 -0.963 -0.3706 2004 -1.008 -0.3140 2003 -1.193 -0.4369 2002 -1.153 -0.3366 2000 -0.804 -0.3969 Statistical Performance Indicators
SPI overall score (0–100) · higher is better
MalawiWorld median
Malawi rose from 55.47 in 2016 to 64.34 in 2024; the world median went from 56.25 to 69.3.
Every year’s figures
Year Malawi World median 2024 64.3 69.30 2023 63.6 68.86 2022 62.8 67.99 2021 65.5 69.96 2020 60.7 62.91 2019 58.3 61.19 2018 55.7 61.17 2017 57.5 59.55 2016 55.5 56.25 Corruption Perceptions Index
CPI score (0–100, where 100 is very clean) · higher is better
MalawiWorld median
Malawi fell from 37 in 2012 to 34 in 2025; the world median went from 37 to 39.
Every year’s figures
Year Malawi World median 2025 34 39.0 2024 34 40.0 2023 34 40.0 2022 34 39.5 2021 35 39.0 2020 30 40.0 2019 31 39.5 2018 32 38.0 2017 31 38.5 2016 31 38.0 2015 31 37.0 2014 33 38.0 2013 37 38.0 2012 37 37.0 Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index
Judicial constraints on the executive index (0–1) · higher is better
MalawiWorld median
Malawi fell from 0.761 in 2000 to 0.732 in 2025; the world median went from 0.647 to 0.676.
Every year’s figures
Year Malawi World median 2025 0.732 0.6760 2024 0.775 0.6645 2023 0.823 0.6590 2022 0.773 0.6600 2021 0.819 0.6580 2020 0.772 0.6645 2019 0.721 0.6560 2018 0.717 0.6485 2017 0.724 0.6550 2016 0.728 0.6520 2015 0.756 0.6700 2014 0.754 0.6515 2013 0.757 0.6550 2012 0.759 0.6750 2011 0.765 0.6680 2010 0.760 0.6640 2009 0.765 0.6580 2008 0.778 0.6590 2007 0.753 0.6630 2006 0.764 0.6590 2005 0.761 0.6580 2004 0.761 0.6480 2003 0.761 0.6480 2002 0.761 0.6470 2001 0.761 0.6530 2000 0.761 0.6465
03In context
Malawi beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 194 countries on governance & institutions, never a place within the region.
1st194thNot placed · 30 countries with too few key statisticsNo data
Malawi and the countries it borders
The standing is each country’s place among all 194 placed on the topic; the other columns are the publishers’ own values, read at the edition the standing used.
| Country | Standing | Government EffectivenessGovernance estimate (−2.5 weak to 2.5 strong) | Statistical Performance IndicatorsSPI overall score (0–100) | Corruption Perceptions IndexCPI score (0–100, where 100 is very clean) | Judicial Constraints on the Executive IndexJudicial constraints on the executive index (0–1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Tanzania | 95th | -0.255 | 68.22 | 40 | 0.722 |
 Zambia | 113th | -0.39 | 64.17 | 37 | 0.71 |
| Malawi | =118th | -0.603 | 64.34 | 34 | 0.732 |
 Mozambique | =150th | -0.808 | 66.74 | 21 | 0.577 |
“—” means the publisher gives no reading for that country in that edition. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed.
Across Eastern Africa
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 194.
Placed either side on governance & institutions
The countries immediately above and below Malawi in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Malawi is ahead of the world, and behind
25 more statistics filed under governance & institutions, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median5
Statistics on which Malawi does better than the middle country measured.
External Debt Stocks (% of GNI)World Bank Group · 2024 · world median 43.9435.2543.94▼ Worsened since 2014
Malawi: 35.25 · world median 43.94 · External debt stocks (% of GNI). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 2.213 to 350.57; lower is better.
Position 75th of 110 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Liberal Democracy IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.3530.4620.353▲ Improved since 2015
Malawi: 0.462 · world median 0.353 · Liberal democracy index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.009 to 0.884; higher is better.
Position 70th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Debt Service on External DebtWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 12.9310.5612.93▼ Worsened since 2014
Malawi: 10.56 · world median 12.93 · Total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.285 to 96.2; lower is better.
Position 65th of 109 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
V-Dem Electoral Democracy IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.4970.5570.497▲ Improved since 2015
Malawi: 0.557 · world median 0.497 · Electoral democracy index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.016 to 0.913; higher is better.
Position 79th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Voice and AccountabilityWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.022-0.009-0.022▲ Improved since 2015
Malawi: -0.009 · world median -0.022 · Voice and Accountability estimate (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -2.348 to 1.825; higher is better.
Position 103rd of 206 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Behind the world median16
Statistics on which Malawi does worse than the middle country measured.
Civic Space RatingsCIVICUS · 2025 · world median 50.4649.7850.46No earlier reading
Malawi: 49.78 · world median 50.46 · Civic space score (0–100). CIVICUS, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.17 to 100; higher is better.
Position 103rd of 198 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Agriculture Orientation IndexFAO · 2024 · world median 0.3050.30.305▼ Worsened since 2014
Malawi: 0.3 · world median 0.305 · Agriculture orientation index (1.0 = spending matches sector size). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.03 to 5.38; higher is better.
Position 67th of 132 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Rule of LawWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.102-0.136-0.102No real change since 2015
Malawi: -0.136 · world median -0.102 · Rule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -2.199 to 2.012; higher is better.
Position 111th of 211 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Women, Business and the LawWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 81.258081.25▼ Worsened since 2014
Malawi: 80 · world median 81.25 · WBL Index (0–100, where 100 is full legal parity). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 26.25 to 100; higher is better.
Position 101st of 190 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Political Corruption IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.5180.6280.518▼ Worsened since 2015
Malawi: 0.628 · world median 0.518 · Political corruption index (0–1; higher = more corrupt). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.004 to 0.968; lower is better.
Position 70th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Regulatory QualityWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.093-0.589-0.093▲ Improved since 2015
Malawi: -0.589 · world median -0.093 · Regulatory Quality (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -2.106 to 2.113; higher is better.
Position 145th of 209 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Control of CorruptionWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.197-0.662-0.197▲ Improved since 2015
Malawi: -0.662 · world median -0.197 · Control of Corruption (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -2.096 to 2.259; higher is better.
Position 147th of 211 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
State Authority over TerritoryV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 95.389.8395.3▼ Worsened since 2015
Malawi: 89.83 · world median 95.3 · Territory under effective state control (% of official territory). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 47.56 to 100; higher is better.
Country Policy and Institutional AssessmentWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 3.2462.8753.246▼ Worsened since 2015
Malawi: 2.875 · world median 3.246 · IDA Resource Allocation Index (1 = low to 6 = high). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.617 to 4.225; higher is better.
Position 59th of 78 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Social Protection CoverageILO · 2025 · world median 52.119.952.1No earlier reading
Malawi: 19.9 · world median 52.1 · Population covered by at least one social protection benefit (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Government AI Readiness IndexOxford Insights · 2025 · world median 40.1924.2240.19▲ Improved since 2020
Malawi: 24.22 · world median 40.19 · AI readiness score (0–100). Oxford Insights, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 12.12 to 88.36; higher is better.
Ranked 149th of 195 by Oxford Insights.
Trade Union DensityILO · 2020 · world median 16.688.8516.68No earlier reading
Malawi: 8.85 · world median 16.68 · Employees who are trade union members (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.2 to 91.42; higher is better.
Position 110th of 139 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Completeness of Birth RegistrationUNICEF · 2025 · world median 98.478.298.4No earlier reading
Malawi: 78.2 · world median 98.4 · Children under 5 whose birth is registered (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.7 to 100; higher is better.
GovTech Maturity IndexWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 0.630.3280.63No real change since 2022
Malawi: 0.328 · world median 0.63 · GTMI score (0–1). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.01 to 0.997; higher is better.
Position 157th of 196 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Climate Readiness (ND-GAIN)Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame · 2024 · world median 0.3870.2810.387▲ Improved since 2014
Malawi: 0.281 · world median 0.387 · ND-GAIN Readiness (0–1, where 1 is the most ready). Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.137 to 0.749; higher is better.
Ranked 157th of 192 by Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame.
Open Data InventoryOpen Data Watch · 2024 · world median 593859▼ Worsened since 2015
Malawi: 38 · world median 59 · ODIN overall score (0–100). Open Data Watch, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 19 to 90; higher is better.
Ranked 145th of 168 by Open Data Watch.
No better end4
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
General Government ConsumptionWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 16.2118.2416.21Moved since 2017
Malawi: 18.24 · world median 16.21 · General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 5.445 to 38.94.
Position 51st of 132 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Central Bank Independence IndexAna Carolina Garriga, University of Essex · 2023 · world median 0.6080.5510.608Moved since 2013
Malawi: 0.551 · world median 0.608 · CBI index (0–1, where 1 is the most statutory independence). Ana Carolina Garriga, University of Essex, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.006 to 0.974.
Public Sector Wage BillWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 7.9756.1447.975Moved since 2012
Malawi: 6.144 · world median 7.975 · Public sector wage bill (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0.977 to 42.65.
Position 113th of 168 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Public Sector EmploymentWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 15.012.39615.01No earlier reading
Malawi: 2.396 · world median 15.01 · Public sector employment (% of total employment). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 1.672 to 47.1.
Position 133rd of 135 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
No current reading for Malawi
Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Government Funding per Primary Student (last 2016) and Government Spending on Education (last 2022). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
05Country Index 2026
Governance & Institutions among Malawi’s 15 topics
Governance & Institutions is Malawi’s 5th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first; each marker sits at the position divided by that topic’s field, so fields of different sizes compare fairly.
- Environment & Sustainability6th of 1813/3 keys
- Energy65th of 1933/3 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 72nd of 1774/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties99th of 1983/3 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 118th of 1944/4 keys
- Digital & Technology123rd of 1983/3 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 127th of 1834/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture128th of 1754/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 140th of 1824/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience151st of 1923/3 keys
- Development & Human Capital159th of 1963/3 keys
- Poverty & Inequality143rd of 1592/2 keys
- Health & Wellbeingjoint 180th of 2004/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation161st of 1764/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge159th of 1712/4 keys
No standing on Mobility & Trade: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on governance & institutions
The three countries placed highest of 194, and the leaders Malawi can most readily be measured against.
1
DenmarkNorthern Europe
1st of 194 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: User:Aconcagua · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
New ZealandAustralia and New Zealand
2nd of 194 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Karora derivative work: Inkey · Public domain, greyscale
3
SwedenNorthern Europe
3rd of 194 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: User:Pieter Kuiper · Public domain, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Africa
Seychelles38th4/4 keysThis page
Malawi=118th4/4 keys
Positions out of 194 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Malawi and governance & institutions
08Questions
Malawi on governance & institutions: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Malawi rank on governance & institutions?
Malawi is placed joint 118th of 194 countries on Governance & Institutions in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Government Effectiveness, Statistical Performance Indicators, Corruption Perceptions Index and Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Government Effectiveness figure for Malawi?
-0.603 in 2025 (governance estimate (−2.5 weak to 2.5 strong)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.101.
What is the latest Statistical Performance Indicators figure for Malawi?
64.34 in 2024 (sPI overall score (0–100)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 69.3.
How does Malawi compare with Tanzania on governance & institutions?
Tanzania is placed 95th of 194, and Malawi joint 118th. Government Effectiveness: Tanzania -0.255, Malawi -0.603; Statistical Performance Indicators: Tanzania 68.22, Malawi 64.34; Corruption Perceptions Index: Tanzania 40, Malawi 34; Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index: Tanzania 0.722, Malawi 0.732.
How have Malawi’s governance & institutions figures changed?
Government Effectiveness rose from -0.804 in 2000 to -0.603 in 2025; Statistical Performance Indicators rose from 55.47 in 2016 to 64.34 in 2024; Corruption Perceptions Index fell from 37 in 2012 to 34 in 2025; Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index fell from 0.761 in 2000 to 0.732 in 2025.
Which governance & institutions statistics are missing for Malawi?
No current reading is published for Malawi on Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Government Funding per Primary Student and Government Spending on Education. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Keep reading
Explore further
Malawi, topic by topic
- Economy & Innovation161st of 176
- Work & Labour=140th of 182
- Education & Knowledge159th of 171
- Health & Wellbeing=180th of 200
- Development & Human Capital159th of 196
- Environment & Sustainability6th of 181
- Gender & Equality=127th of 183
- Democracy & Civil Liberties99th of 198
- Peace & Security=72nd of 177
- Risk & Resilience151st of 192
- Food & Agriculture128th of 175
- Poverty & Inequality143rd of 159
- Energy65th of 193
- Digital & Technology123rd of 198
- The full Malawi profile
Nearby, on governance & institutions
The key statistics, for every country
10Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Governance is not democracy. Free elections, civil liberties and press freedom belong to the Democracy & Civil Liberties topic, and a country can place well on one and poorly on the other. How openly official data is published sits here as context, beside the statistical capacity that is a key. Nor does this topic measure the size of government or how much it spends — the share of the economy run by the state is published on this page as context, with no better end.
How the Governance & Institutions standing is decided, step by step
A standing is a place in a list, not a mark out of anything. This one is part of the Country Index 2026, and it is worked out like this.
- A few key indicators decide it; the rest are context. 4 indicators on this topic are keys and 30 are charted alongside them without a vote. That split is the point: if every statistic voted, importing five more of one kind would quietly change what the topic is about.
- Each key is read at one edition. ⚠ The keys behind this standing do not all describe the same year — they run from 2024 to 2025, because publishers release on their own schedules. Read the standing as “how this country places now”, not as a snapshot of one year.
- Every country’s published value is turned into a place within that one key’s own field, and then expressed as a share of that field — how far down this key’s list the country sits, rather than how many countries are above it. Keys where a higher published number is worse (terrorism, hunger, disaster risk) are turned round first, so the good end is always the same end.
- Dividing by the field first is the whole reason this works. A place carries the size of its list inside it: 22nd of 44 and 108th of 215 are the same showing, and averaging the numbers 22 and 108 says loudly that they are not. Fields on this site run from about 44 countries to about 215, so averaging raw places would reward a country for happening to be measured in small ones. Dividing each place by its own field removes the size and leaves only the showing.
- The shares are averaged, plainly. One key, one vote — no key is weighted above another, because any weighting would be this site’s opinion presented as a measurement. Countries are then put in order by that average, and the average itself is never published. It is our arithmetic with nothing anchoring it, so printing it would invite it to be read as a measurement somebody made. The position it produces, the band, and the keys it was built from are all published instead — every one of them checkable against the tables on this page.
- A country needs 2 of this topic’s 4 keys — half, rounded up, and never fewer than 2. A standing built from one reading, printed beside one built from four, is two different things sharing a column heading. 194 countries clear the bar here.
- A key has to earn its vote every edition. It must measure at least 120 countries (below that it starts measuring who was surveyed rather than the world), it must not have more than 10% of its field tied at either end, and it must not repeat another key in the same topic — Spearman correlation above 0.92 counts as repeating. A topic needs at least 2 surviving keys to place anyone at all; this one has 4.
- A standing is relative, and the grouping is ours. It says where a country places against the others measured alongside it, so it moves when they move. The publishers listed on this page did not agree to be read together, and each measures its subject its own way: the underlying numbers are theirs, the ordering on top is this site’s — the same method as the rest of the Country Index, applied to one subject instead of all of them.
The key statistics and their licences
- Government Effectiveness — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Statistical Performance Indicators — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Corruption Perceptions Index — Transparency International, CC BY 4.0 (the data), CC BY-ND 4.0 (the website and report)
- Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index — V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
The other 25 statistics on this page come from 10 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Malawi’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Malawi (banner) — Rockwurm derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Denmark — User:Aconcagua, CC BY-SA 3.0
- New Zealand — Karora derivative work: Inkey, Public domain
- Sweden — User:Pieter Kuiper, Public domain
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Malawi: Governance & Institutions — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/malawi/governance