Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 3.5 years longer

In Uganda, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2022. In Malawi, that number is 72 years (69 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022.

be 50.0% more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Uganda, 5.4% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Malawi, that number is 8.1% of people as of 2020.

Economy

pay a 25.0% lower top tax rate

Uganda has a top tax rate of 40.0% as of 2016. In Malawi, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.

make 34.8% less money

Uganda has a GDP per capita of $2,300 as of 2022, while in Malawi, the GDP per capita is $1,500 as of 2022.

be 73.8% more likely to be unemployed

In Uganda, 2.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Malawi, that number is 5.1% as of 2022.

be 2.5 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Uganda, 20.3% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Malawi, however, that number is 50.7% as of 2019.

Life

be 34.2% more likely to die during childbirth

In Uganda, approximately 284.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Malawi, 381.0 women do as of 2020.

be 14.8% less likely to be literate

In Uganda, the literacy rate is 79.0% as of 2021. In Malawi, it is 67.3% as of 2021.

have 32.8% fewer children

In Uganda, there are approximately 39.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Malawi, there are 26.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 2.4 times more likely to have internet access

In Uganda, approximately 10.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Malawi, about 24.0% do as of 2021.

be 10.7% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Uganda, approximately 83% of people have improved drinking water access (92% in urban areas, and 80% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Malawi, that number is 92% of people on average (97% in urban areas, and 91% in rural areas) as of 2020.

be 68.8% less likely to have access to electricity

In Uganda, approximately 45% of people have electricity access (72% in urban areas, and 36% in rural areas) as of 2021. In Malawi, that number is 14% of people on average (54% in urban areas, and 6% in rural areas) as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 35.0% more on healthcare

Uganda spends 4.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Malawi, that number is 5.4% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Malawi Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, Uganda Revenue Authority.

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 Uganda? See an in-depth size comparison.

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