Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 4.2 years longer

In Ethiopia, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 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 9.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Ethiopia, 0.9% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Malawi, that number is 8.1% of people as of 2020.

be 28.9% more likely to be obese

In Ethiopia, 4.5% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Malawi, that number is 5.8% of people as of 2016.

Economy

pay a 14.3% lower top tax rate

Ethiopia has a top tax rate of 35.0% as of 2016. In Malawi, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.

make 39.3% less money

Ethiopia has a GDP per capita of $2,800 as of 2023, while in Malawi, the GDP per capita is $1,700 as of 2023.

be 44.0% more likely to be unemployed

In Ethiopia, 3.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Malawi, that number is 5.0% as of 2023.

be 2.2 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Ethiopia, 23.5% live below the poverty line as of 2015. In Malawi, however, that number is 50.7% as of 2019.

Life

be 29.9% more likely to be literate

In Ethiopia, the literacy rate is 51.8% as of 2017. In Malawi, it is 67.3% as of 2021.

be 42.7% more likely to die during childbirth

In Ethiopia, approximately 267.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Malawi, 381.0 women do as of 2020.

have 10.1% fewer children

In Ethiopia, there are approximately 29.6 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 41.2% more likely to have internet access

In Ethiopia, approximately 17.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Malawi, about 24.0% do as of 2021.

be 20.4% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Ethiopia, approximately 76% of people have improved drinking water access (98% in urban areas, and 70% 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 74.5% less likely to have access to electricity

In Ethiopia, approximately 55% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 43% 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 35.6% less on education

Ethiopia spends 4.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Malawi spends 2.9% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 54.3% more on healthcare

Ethiopia spends 3.5% 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, Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority.

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 Ethiopia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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