Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 96.3% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Malawi, 8.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Ecuador, that number is 0.3% of people as of 2020.

live 5.1 years longer

In Malawi, the average life expectancy is 72 years (69 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Ecuador, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.

be 3.4 times more likely to be obese

In Malawi, 5.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Ecuador, that number is 19.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 7.3 times more money

Malawi has a GDP per capita of $1,500 as of 2022, while in Ecuador, the GDP per capita is $10,900 as of 2022.

be 26.4% less likely to be unemployed

In Malawi, 5.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Ecuador, that number is 3.8% as of 2022.

be 50.3% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Malawi, 50.7% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Ecuador, however, that number is 25.2% as of 2022.

pay a 16.7% higher top tax rate

Malawi has a top tax rate of 30.0% as of 2016. In Ecuador, the top tax rate is 35.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 82.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Malawi, approximately 381.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Ecuador, 66.0 women do as of 2020.

be 39.5% more likely to be literate

In Malawi, the literacy rate is 67.3% as of 2021. In Ecuador, it is 93.9% as of 2022.

be 45.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Malawi, approximately 33.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Ecuador, on the other hand, 18.1 children do as of 2022.

have 33.5% fewer children

In Malawi, there are approximately 26.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Ecuador, there are 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 7.1 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Malawi, approximately 14% of people have electricity access (54% in urban areas, and 6% in rural areas) as of 2021. In Ecuador, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 93% in rural areas) as of 2021.

be 3.2 times more likely to have internet access

In Malawi, approximately 24.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Ecuador, about 76.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 27.6% more on education

Malawi spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Ecuador spends 3.7% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 57.4% more on healthcare

Malawi spends 5.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Ecuador, that number is 8.5% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Malawi Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, Servicio de Rentas Internas del Ecuador.

Ecuador: At a glance

Ecuador is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 276,841 sq km. What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 30 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period was marred by political instability. Protests in Quito contributed to the mid-term ouster of three of Ecuador's last four democratically elected presidents. In late 2008, voters approved a new constitution, Ecuador's 20th since gaining independence. General elections were held in February 2013, and voters re-elected President Rafael CORREA.
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How big is Ecuador compared to Malawi? See an in-depth size comparison.

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