Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 4.3 years longer

In Laos, 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 27.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Laos, 0.3% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Malawi, that number is 8.1% of people as of 2020.

Economy

make 79.8% less money

Laos has a GDP per capita of $8,400 as of 2023, while in Malawi, the GDP per capita is $1,700 as of 2023.

be 4.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In Laos, 1.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Malawi, that number is 5.0% as of 2023.

be 2.8 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 18.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Malawi, however, that number is 50.7% as of 2019.

pay a 25.0% higher top tax rate

Laos has a top tax rate of 24.0% as of 2016. In Malawi, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 11.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Laos, approximately 37.8 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 34.3% more children

In Laos, there are approximately 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Malawi, there are 26.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 3.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Laos, approximately 126.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Malawi, 381.0 women do as of 2020.

be 22.7% less likely to be literate

In Laos, the literacy rate is 87.1% as of 2021. In Malawi, it is 67.3% as of 2021.

Basic Needs

be 86.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In Laos, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (98% in urban areas, and 93% 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.

be 61.3% less likely to have internet access

In Laos, approximately 62.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Malawi, about 24.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 26.1% more on education

Laos spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Malawi spends 2.9% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 100.0% more on healthcare

Laos spends 2.7% 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, Ministry of Finance.

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 Laos? See an in-depth size comparison.

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