Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Malawi instead of Afghanistan, you would:

Health

live 18.8 years longer

In Afghanistan, the average life expectancy is 54 years (52 years for men, 55 years for women) as of 2022. In Malawi, that number is 72 years (69 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022.

be 81.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Afghanistan, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Malawi, that number is 8.1% of people as of 2020.

Economy

be 65.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Afghanistan, 14.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Malawi, that number is 5.0% as of 2023.

make 15.0% less money

Afghanistan has a GDP per capita of $2,000 as of 2022, while in Malawi, the GDP per capita is $1,700 as of 2023.

pay a 50.0% higher top tax rate

Afghanistan has a top tax rate of 20.0% as of 2016. In Malawi, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 38.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In Afghanistan, approximately 620.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Malawi, 381.0 women do as of 2020.

be 80.4% more likely to be literate

In Afghanistan, the literacy rate is 37.3% as of 2021. In Malawi, it is 67.3% as of 2021.

be 68.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Afghanistan, approximately 104.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Malawi, on the other hand, 33.4 children do as of 2022.

have 22.2% fewer children

In Afghanistan, there are approximately 34.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Malawi, there are 26.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 33.3% more likely to have internet access

In Afghanistan, approximately 18.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Malawi, about 24.0% do as of 2021.

be 20.3% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Afghanistan, approximately 76% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 68% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Malawi, that number is 92% of people on average (97% in urban areas, and 91% in rural areas) as of 2020.

be 83.6% less likely to have access to electricity

In Afghanistan, approximately 85% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Malawi, that number is 14% of people on average (54% in urban areas, and 6% in rural areas) as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 65.2% less on healthcare

Afghanistan spends 15.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Malawi, that number is 5.4% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Malawi Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, Afghanistan Revenue Department.

Malawi: At a glance

Malawi is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 94,080 sq km. Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term, struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor and subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2005. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in May 2009. He oversaw some economic improvement in his first term, but was accused of economic mismanagement and poor governance in his second term. He died abruptly in April 2012 and was succeeded by his vice president, Joyce BANDA, who had earlier started her own party, the People's Party (PP). Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the scourge of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.
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How big is Malawi compared to Afghanistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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