Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 3.9 years longer

In Mali, the average life expectancy is 62 years (60 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2022. In Zambia, that number is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

be 12.3 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Mali, 0.9% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Zambia, that number is 11.1% of people as of 2020.

Economy

make 61.9% more money

Mali has a GDP per capita of $2,100 as of 2022, while in Zambia, the GDP per capita is $3,400 as of 2022.

be 39.2% more likely to be unemployed

In Mali, 3.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Zambia, that number is 4.4% as of 2022.

be 22.0% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Mali, 44.6% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Zambia, however, that number is 54.4% as of 2015.

Life

be 69.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Mali, approximately 440.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Zambia, 135.0 women do as of 2020.

be 2.4 times more likely to be literate

In Mali, the literacy rate is 35.5% as of 2018. In Zambia, it is 86.7% as of 2018.

be 38.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Mali, approximately 60.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Zambia, on the other hand, 37.1 children do as of 2022.

have 17.0% fewer children

In Mali, there are approximately 41.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Zambia, there are 34.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 12.6% less likely to have access to electricity

In Mali, approximately 53% of people have electricity access (97% in urban areas, and 18% in rural areas) as of 2021. In Zambia, that number is 47% of people on average (86% in urban areas, and 14% in rural areas) as of 2021.

be 38.2% less likely to have internet access

In Mali, approximately 34.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Zambia, about 21.0% do as of 2021.

be 17.1% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Mali, approximately 86% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 76% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Zambia, that number is 72% of people on average (90% in urban areas, and 57% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 15.9% less on education

Mali spends 4.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Zambia spends 3.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 30.2% more on healthcare

Mali spends 4.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Zambia, that number is 5.6% of GDP as of 2020.

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

Zambia: At a glance

Zambia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 743,398 sq km. The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who subsequently won a special presidential by-election in October 2008. Michael SATA was elected president in September 2011.
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How big is Zambia compared to Mali? See an in-depth size comparison.

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