Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Malawi instead of American Samoa, you would:

Health

be 89.5% less likely to be obese

In American Samoa, 75.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Malawi, that number is 8.0% of people as of 2024.

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live 5.4 years less

In American Samoa, the average life expectancy is 73 years (70 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2024. In Malawi, that number is 68 years (64 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

make 96.3% less money

American Samoa has a GDP per capita of $18,017 as of 2022, while in Malawi, the GDP per capita is $672 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.1 times more children

In American Samoa, there are approximately 15.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Malawi, there are 31.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 3.8 times more likely to die during infancy

In American Samoa, approximately 10.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Malawi, on the other hand, 38.0 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 73.6% less likely to have access to electricity

In American Samoa, approximately 59% of people have electricity access (60% in urban areas, and 45% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Malawi, that number is 16% of people on average (58% in urban areas, and 6% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 53.0% less likely to have internet access

In American Samoa, approximately 40.3% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Malawi, about 19.0% do as of 2024.

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be 27.0% less likely to have access to drinking water

In American Samoa, approximately 100% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Malawi, 73% of people do as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2020–2022), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: American Samoa vs. Malawi

Size Comparison · See true size
American Samoa is about 529 times smaller than Malawi.
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Moving from American Samoa to Malawi · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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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 American Samoa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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