Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

Malawi vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 171 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Malawi
mwi
Leads on 57 of 171 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 105 of 171 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 2.9 times as many people as Malawi (65.49 million vs 22.78 million). South Africa's economy is 34.6 times the size of Malawi's ($424.75 billion vs $12.28 billion GDP).

Comparing Malawi and South Africa: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Malawi (990,000); Malawi leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (375,000) against South Africa (50.02); South Africa leads on Malaria Incidence Rate (0.11 cases per 1,000) against Malawi (294.53 cases per 1,000). Across 171 compared metrics, Malawi wins on 57 and South Africa wins on 105.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 65 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.09 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)18.96 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)17.99 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 18% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.09 Mbps5.35 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score59.2 points75.71 points★
Radios2.617★
TelevisionsNA6
Waterways144NA

Economy

65 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country4.84B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars12.28B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)14.48 %15.39 %★
Apple Import Volume1.11M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate50.37 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)16 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue0.032.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)38.1 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.3 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index77.9★59.6
Electricity Consumption1.32207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels185★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants93★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables610★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity375,000★50.02
Electricity Production1.42234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)1.79 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate58.96 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage18.83 %★11.04 %
Gender Wage Gap18.83 %11.04 %★
Gini Index Coefficient38.563★
Gross Fixed Investment23.1★19.5
Gross National Saving3.916.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage52.07 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries1,623.02 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)2.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate28.37 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)32.2 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.8 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption8,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports7,124521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line50.7 people★55.5 people
Public Debt55.6★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.18 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)1.8 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends9.96 %★7.42 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption6,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports4,769195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances1.4★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million25.17 researchers479.87 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.18 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)72.8929.54★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)15.6 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)15.6 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues13.526★
Top Exporting Countries1.50B USD126.84B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)2.28 %★0.58 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP1.6 %2.11 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)1.6 %2.11 %★
Unemployment Rate5.1 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate62.58 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate6.95 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)28,911★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-42,000 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature22.29 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions2.27★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution1,548.92 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionpopulation density is highest south of Lake Nyasa, as shown in this population distribution mapthe population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map
Protected Land Area for Adaptation23.16 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage23.1 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country2.5 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources17.2851.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species10 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization19.72 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)78.785.66★
Agricultural land62,626 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km94,2801.21M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita1.8 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land74016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country48.89 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions28★9
Corruption Perception Index34 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score34 index41 index★
Independence631★
LGBT Rights Index Score0.4610.94★
Prison Population Rate71 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception34★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water18.18 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults22.6 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate89 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)5.77.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders67.56 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.58 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita152.6 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score52 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.4 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy67.56 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate7.7 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.3 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.1 beds per 1,0002.34 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence15.58 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate294.53 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)225 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth18.922.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density0.51 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.8 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending12 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS990,0007.8★
Total Number of Doctors0.050.79★
Underweight Children Under 511.64.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel11,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.15 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)15,00089,000★

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)59.17 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.45★0.42
Life expectancy at birth72.03 years★71.98 years
Median age of population18.35 years29 years★
Population Change579,788 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density240.56 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population22.78M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.80.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.15 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)28.04 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate65.6 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate31.14 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)3.57 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)2.7 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age6.07M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)2.23 %29.68 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.09 %5.35 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth100.76 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.270.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate8.627.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school5.77 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.28 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)162.23166.68★
Mean Years of Schooling5.41 years10.47 years★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio4.62 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization71.82 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.05 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.16 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums33.18 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio69.5130.33★
Total deaths110,901 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)61.79 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.46 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-4,828.6 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate36.16 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate4.43 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population52.83 millions★47.28 millions

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.010.37★
Airports27573★
Civil Air Travel590★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita30.00M USD5.96B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate24 %★7 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Malawi vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Malawi or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 2.9 times as many people as Malawi (65.49 million vs 22.78 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Malawi or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 34.6 times the size of Malawi's ($424.75 billion vs $12.28 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Malawi or South Africa?▾

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $539.28 in Malawi (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

Related comparisons

More Malawi comparisons

More South Africa comparisons