Largest Cities, Towns and Urban Localities by Population in Malawi
31 cities, towns and urban localities in Malawi with 5,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by population at the census of September 3, 2018 (by National Statistical Office of Malawi).
| Rank | City, Town or Urban Locality | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lilongwe | 989,318 |
| 2 | Blantyre | 800,264 |
| 3 | Mzuzu | 221,272 |
| 4 | Zomba | 105,013 |
| 5 | Karonga | 61,609 |
| 6 | Kasungu | 58,653 |
| 7 | Mangochi | 53,498 |
| 8 | Salima | 36,789 |
| 9 | Liwonde | 36,421 |
| 10 | Balaka | 36,308 |
| 11 | Dedza | 30,928 |
| 12 | Nkhotakota | 28,350 |
| 13 | Mchinji | 28,011 |
| 14 | Nsanje | 26,844 |
| 15 | Mzimba | 26,096 |
| 16 | Mponela | 24,543 |
| 17 | Rumphi | 22,358 |
| 18 | Ntcheu | 21,241 |
| 19 | Mwanza | 18,039 |
| 20 | Chitipa | 17,743 |
| 21 | Monkey Bay | 14,955 |
| 22 | Mulanje | 14,782 |
| 23 | Nkhata Bay | 14,274 |
| 24 | Luchenza | 12,600 |
| 25 | Ntchisi | 9,357 |
| 26 | Thyolo | 7,843 |
| 27 | Dowa | 7,135 |
| 28 | Ngabu | 7,032 |
| 29 | Chipoka | 6,395 |
| 30 | Phalombe | 6,242 |
| 31 | Chikwawa | 6,114 |
Source: National Statistical Office of Malawi (2018 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff.
Why don't these match official city populations?Official figures typically count only the population within administrative boundaries. UN urban area figures cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.Show moreShow less
Tokyo
33,338,852
Urban area
9,953,160
23 wards
Essen
2,709,375
Urban area
573,618
City of Essen
Ankara
3,630,865
Urban area
5,186,002
Metropolitan municipality
What counts as an urban area? The UN uses satellite imagery to map built-up land, and treats each continuous stretch of built-up land as an urban area. This means that urban areas can extend beyond official city boundaries, and may include multiple cities and towns within a single urban area.
Can an urban area be smaller than its city? Yes. While most cities have urban areas larger than their administrative boundaries, some cities have extensive administrative limits that include sparsely populated areas.
8 urban areas in Malawi with 50,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by the UN's population estimates for 2026.
| Rank | Urban Area | Population Estimate (2026) | Yearly Change | Land Area (km²) | Density (P/km²) | World Rank | Projections (2030) | Projections (2050) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lilongwe | 1,004,652 | +4.31% | 152 | 6,601 | 513 | 1,177,663 | 1,847,638 |
| 2 | Blantyre | 927,169 | +1.93% | 191 | 4,844 | 565 | 998,688 | 1,312,414 |
| 3 | Mzuzu | 230,975 | +3.96% | 48 | 4,772 | 2,570 | 267,513 | 430,245 |
| 4 | Likuni | 156,660 | +3.17% | 23 | 6,932 | 3,920 | 176,520 | 306,571 |
| 5 | Zomba | 80,046 | +2.22% | 17 | 4,654 | 7,895 | 87,144 | 142,134 |
| 6 | Salima | 64,518 | +6.06% | 20 | 3,194 | 9,738 | 80,145 | 136,878 |
| 7 | Kasungu | 64,140 | +3.24% | 16 | 3,959 | 9,794 | 72,440 | 142,277 |
| 8 | Mangochi | 64,094 | +1.35% | 13 | 4,930 | 9,800 | 67,561 | 101,634 |
Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision, Online Edition.