Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 27.0% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zambia, 11.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Malawi, that number is 8.1% of people as of 2020.

live 6.2 years longer

In Zambia, the average life expectancy is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 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 28.4% less likely to be obese

In Zambia, 8.1% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Malawi, that number is 5.8% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 14.7% less likely to be unemployed

In Zambia, 5.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Malawi, that number is 5.0% as of 2023.

be 15.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Zambia, 60.0% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Malawi, however, that number is 50.7% as of 2019.

pay a 14.3% lower top tax rate

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

make 54.1% less money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $3,700 as of 2023, while in Malawi, the GDP per capita is $1,700 as of 2023.

Life

be 2.8 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Zambia, approximately 135.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Malawi, 381.0 women do as of 2020.

be 22.4% less likely to be literate

In Zambia, the literacy rate is 86.7% as of 2018. In Malawi, it is 67.3% as of 2021.

have 22.0% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 34.1 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 14.3% more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 21.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Malawi, about 24.0% do as of 2021.

be 28.5% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Zambia, approximately 72% of people have improved drinking water access (90% in urban areas, and 57% 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 70.7% less likely to have access to electricity

In Zambia, approximately 48% of people have electricity access (86% in urban areas, and 14% 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 21.6% less on education

Zambia spends 3.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Malawi spends 2.9% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Malawi Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, Zambia Revenue 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 Zambia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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