Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

Malawi vs Zambia: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 107 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Malawi
mwi
Leads on 39 of 107 metrics
Zambia
zmb
Leads on 53 of 107 metrics

Summary

Comparing Malawi and Zambia: Zambia leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (1.50) against Malawi (990,000); Malawi leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (375,000) against Zambia (2.57); Zambia leads on Dam capacity per capita (4,402 cubic meters per inhabitant) against Malawi (1.80 cubic meters per inhabitant). Across 107 compared metrics, Malawi wins on 39 and Zambia wins on 53.

  • Communications: 6 metrics compared
  • Economy: 45 metrics compared
  • Environment: 5 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 9 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 28 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared

Communications

6 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇲 ZambiaShare
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)17.05 %★15 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 18% (2023 est.)percent of population: 33% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score59.2 points★57.33 points
Radios2.6★1.2
TelevisionsNA277,000
Waterways7002,250★

Economy

45 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇲 ZambiaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country4.84B $★826.47M $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars12.28B $32.38B $★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)16 %★9.1 %
Coal Revenue0.030.04★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)38.1 %★12.5 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.3 % of GDP★4.9 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index77.9★56.9
Electricity Consumption1.3211.04★
Electricity Exports01.18★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels15★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants9393
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables6★2
Electricity Imports02.19★
Electricity Installed Capacity375,000★2.57
Electricity Production1.4211.55★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)1.79 USD per capita8.27 USD per capita★
Gini Index Coefficient38.551.5★
Gross Fixed Investment23.1★20.5
Gross National Saving3.938.3★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)2.1 %3.5 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)32.2 %15 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.8 % of GDP1.3 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption00
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports00
Natural Gas Production00
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption8,00016,000★
Oil Exports0360★
Oil Imports7,12417,570★
Oil Production0190★
Oil Proved Reserves00
Population Below Poverty Line50.7 people★60 people
Public Debt55.6★71.4
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)1.8 USD4 USD★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption6,00023,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0371★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports4,76910,150★
Refined Petroleum Products Production013,120★
Remittances1.4★0.9
Revenue from Forest Resources6.19★4.45
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)72.8971.37★
Taxes and Other Revenues13.516.8★
Unemployment Rate5.1 %★6 %

Environment

5 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇲 ZambiaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)28,911★212,572
Carbon Dioxide Emissions2.27★9.88
Population Distributionpopulation density is highest south of Lake Nyasa, as shown in this population distribution mapone of the highest levels of urbanization in Africa; high density in the central area, particularly around the cities of Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Mufulira, as shown in this population distribution map
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country2.5 Cubic meters per year47 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources17.28104.8★

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇲 ZambiaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization19.72 %★0.63 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)78.7★44
Agricultural land62,626 sq. km238,390 sq. km★
Coastline Length (km)0 km0 km
Dam capacity per capita1.8 cubic meters per inhabitant4,402.19 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land7401,560★

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇲 ZambiaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country48.89 %★30.99 %
Administrative Divisions28★10
Independence624★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇲 ZambiaShare
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)5.710.3★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.4 % of GDP★6.6 % of GDP
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate7.7 %★10.8 %
Hospital Bed Density1.3 people/sq km2 people/sq km★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)225 %85 %★
Mean Age at First Birth19.119.2★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.8 %★8.1 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS990,0001.5★
Underweight Children Under 511.6★11.8

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇲 ZambiaShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)15,00016,000★

People and Society

28 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇲 ZambiaShare
Currently married (Percent)59.17 %★52.13 %
Human Capital Index0.45★0.41
Life expectancy at birth72.03 years★70.69 years
Median age of population18.35 years★18.13 years
Population Change579,788 persons624,260.3 persons★
Population density240.56 per sq. km30.24 per sq. km★
Total population22.78M persons★22.51M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.80.84★
Birth Rate (%)28.04 %29.6 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate65.6 %★49.6 %
Death Rate (%)3.57 %★4.91 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)2.7 % of GDP4.1 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age6.07M persons★5.74M persons
Labor Force Participation Rate8.6★7.41
Learning-adjusted years of school5.77 years★4.64 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.28 people3.18 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)162.23166.52★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization71.82 %★55.41 %
Physician Density0.05 people/sq km0.32 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.16 %2.51 %★
Population living in slums33.18 %45.09 %★
Total deaths110,901 persons103,544 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)61.79 %★52.58 %
Total fertility rate3.46 per woman3.9 per woman★
Total net-migration-4,828.6 persons8,443.7 persons★
Under-five mortality rate36.16 per live births★47.18 per live births

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇲🇼 Malawi🇿🇲 ZambiaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.010.05★
Airports27120★
Civil Air Travel512★

Related comparisons

More Malawi comparisons

More Zambia comparisons