Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 4.5 years less

In Malawi, the average life expectancy is 72 years (69 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Kiribati, that number is 68 years (65 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2022.

be 7.9 times more likely to be obese

In Malawi, 5.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Kiribati, that number is 46.0% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 33.3% more money

Malawi has a GDP per capita of $1,500 as of 2022, while in Kiribati, the GDP per capita is $2,000 as of 2022.

be 56.8% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Malawi, 50.7% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Kiribati, however, that number is 21.9% as of 2019.

be 6.0 times more likely to be unemployed

In Malawi, 5.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Kiribati, that number is 30.6% as of 2010.

Life

be 80.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Malawi, approximately 381.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Kiribati, 76.0 women do as of 2020.

have 25.9% fewer children

In Malawi, there are approximately 26.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Kiribati, there are 19.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 6.6 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 Kiribati, that number is 93% of people on average (88% in urban areas, and 82% in rural areas) as of 2020.

be 2.2 times more likely to have internet access

In Malawi, approximately 24.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Kiribati, about 54.0% do as of 2021.

be 10.9% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Malawi, approximately 92% of people have improved drinking water access (97% in urban areas, and 91% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Kiribati, that number is 82% of people on average (97% in urban areas, and 63% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 4.3 times more on education

Malawi spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Kiribati spends 12.4% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

spend 2.1 times more on healthcare

Malawi spends 5.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Kiribati, that number is 11.6% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Kiribati: At a glance

Kiribati is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 811 sq km. The Gilbert Islands became a British protectorate in 1892 and a colony in 1915; they were captured by the Japanese in the Pacific War in 1941. The islands of Makin and Tarawa were the sites of major US amphibious victories over entrenched Japanese garrisons in 1943. The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.
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How big is Kiribati compared to Malawi? See an in-depth size comparison.

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