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

Health

be 96.8% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zambia, 9.4% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Malta, that number is 0.3% of people as of 2024.

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live 16.4 years longer

In Zambia, the average life expectancy is 67 years (64 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2024. In Malta, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 23.4 times more spent on your healthcare

Zambia spends $244 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Malta spends $5,706 as of 2023.

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have 13.9 times more doctors per person

Zambia has 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Malta has 45.1 as of 2022.

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have 51.8% more access to essential health services

Zambia scores 56 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Malta scores 85 as of 2021.

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be 2.6 times more likely to be obese

In Zambia, 11.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Malta, that number is 30.6% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 51.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Zambia, 5.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Malta, that number is 2.9% as of 2025.

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be 72.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Zambia, 60.0% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Malta, however, that number is 16.7% as of 2021.

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make 36.4 times more money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $1,318 as of 2025, while in Malta, the GDP per capita is $47,907 as of 2025.

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Life

be 90.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In Zambia, approximately 85.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Malta, 8.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 32.2% more likely to be literate

In Zambia, the literacy rate is 71.8% as of 2024. In Malta, it is 94.9% as of 2021.

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be 86.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Zambia, approximately 34.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Malta, on the other hand, 4.7 children do as of 2024.

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have 76.5% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 32.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Malta, there are 7.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 95.7% more likely to have access to electricity

In Zambia, approximately 51% of people have electricity access (90% in urban areas, and 18% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Malta, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 5.5 times more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 17.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Malta, about 93.9% do as of 2024.

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be 36.2% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Zambia, approximately 73% of people have access to drinking water (90% in urban areas, and 58% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Malta, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 15.7% more on education

Zambia spends 4.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Malta spends 4.7% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 47.8% more on healthcare

Zambia spends 6.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Malta, that number is 8.8% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 88.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Zambia, road accidents kill 17.1 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Malta, they kill 1.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 56.3 times more home broadband

Zambia has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Malta has 44.5 as of 2024.

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use 6.9 times more electricity

Zambia uses 727 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Malta uses 5,013 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 25.6 times more strain on fresh water

Zambia withdraws 3% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Malta withdraws 73% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 58.0% less likely to die from air pollution

In Zambia, air pollution causes 50.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Malta, it causes 21.0 as of 2019.

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emit 5.9 times more CO2

Zambia emits 0.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Malta emits 3.2 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

Malta: At a glance

Malta is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 316 sq km. Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964; a decade later it declared itself a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.
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How big is Malta compared to Zambia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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