Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 96.3% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Malawi, 8.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Latvia, that number is 0.3% of people as of 2019.

live 3.5 years longer

In Malawi, the average life expectancy is 72 years (69 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Latvia, that number is 76 years (71 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022.

be 4.1 times more likely to be obese

In Malawi, 5.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Latvia, that number is 23.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 22.2 times more money

Malawi has a GDP per capita of $1,700 as of 2023, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $37,800 as of 2023.

be 55.6% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Malawi, 50.7% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Latvia, however, that number is 22.5% as of 2022.

pay a 23.3% lower top tax rate

Malawi has a top tax rate of 30.0% as of 2016. In Latvia, the top tax rate is 23.0% as of 2016.

be 29.6% more likely to be unemployed

In Malawi, 5.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Latvia, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.

Life

be 95.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Malawi, approximately 381.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Latvia, 18.0 women do as of 2020.

be 48.4% more likely to be literate

In Malawi, the literacy rate is 67.3% as of 2021. In Latvia, it is 99.9% as of 2021.

be 85.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Malawi, approximately 33.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Latvia, on the other hand, 4.8 children do as of 2022.

have 68.8% fewer children

In Malawi, there are approximately 26.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Latvia, there are 8.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 7.1 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Malawi, approximately 14% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Latvia, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 3.7 times more likely to have internet access

In Malawi, approximately 24.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Latvia, about 89.8% do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 2.1 times more on education

Malawi spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Latvia spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 38.9% more on healthcare

Malawi spends 5.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Latvia, that number is 7.5% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Malawi Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, State Revenue Service, Latvia.

Latvia: At a glance

Latvia is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 62,249 sq km. The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 28% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the eurozone in 2014.
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How big is Latvia compared to Malawi? See an in-depth size comparison.

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