Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 31.9% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zimbabwe, 11.9% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Malawi, that number is 8.1% of people as of 2020.

live 9.1 years longer

In Zimbabwe, the average life expectancy is 63 years (61 years for men, 66 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 62.6% less likely to be obese

In Zimbabwe, 15.5% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Malawi, that number is 5.8% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 42.5% less likely to be unemployed

In Zimbabwe, 8.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Malawi, that number is 5.0% as of 2023.

pay a 40.0% lower top tax rate

Zimbabwe has a top tax rate of 50.0% as of 2016. In Malawi, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.

make 51.4% less money

Zimbabwe has a GDP per capita of $3,500 as of 2023, while in Malawi, the GDP per capita is $1,700 as of 2023.

be 32.4% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Zimbabwe, 38.3% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Malawi, however, that number is 50.7% as of 2019.

Life

be 25.0% less likely to be literate

In Zimbabwe, the literacy rate is 89.7% as of 2021. In Malawi, it is 67.3% as of 2021.

be 17.2% more likely to die during infancy

In Zimbabwe, approximately 28.5 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.

Basic Needs

be 19.6% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Zimbabwe, approximately 77% of people have improved drinking water access (98% in urban areas, and 67% 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 72.1% less likely to have access to electricity

In Zimbabwe, approximately 50% of people have electricity access (85% in urban areas, and 32% 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 31.4% less likely to have internet access

In Zimbabwe, approximately 35.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Malawi, about 24.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 19.4% less on education

Zimbabwe spends 3.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2018. Malawi spends 2.9% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 58.8% more on healthcare

Zimbabwe spends 3.4% 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, Zimbabwe 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 Zimbabwe? See an in-depth size comparison.

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