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Malawi vs Rwanda statistics compared

Updated on by Georank team

Malawi has a population of 21.7M (ranked 62/197), compared with 14.3M in Rwanda (ranked 77/197). Malawi's land area is 36,402 sq mi versus 9,525 sq mi for Rwanda (ranked 107th vs. 146th).

By GDP, Malawi ranks 151/197 ($11B) and Rwanda ranks 144/197 ($14.3B). By GDP per capita, Malawi ranks 195/197 ($508), while Rwanda ranks 177/197 ($1,000).

Main facts and rankings

Malawi Rwanda
Population
22673513
14826674
Population rank 61/197 77/197
GDP
$11B
2024
$14.3B
2024
GDP rank 151/197 144/197
GDP per capita
$508
2024
$1,000
2024
GDP per capita rank 195/197 177/197
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,859
2024
$3,711
2024
Government debt
$8.19B
2024
$9.58B
2024
Debt-to-GDP ratio
73%
2025
77.6%
2025
Government debt per person
$378
2024
$672
2024
Government debt per person rank 173/185 156/185
Average annual personal income after taxes
$2,610
2025
$2,587
2025
Land area
36,402 sq mi
2025
9,525 sq mi
2025
Population density
595 ppl/mi²
2024
1,497 ppl/mi²
2024
Fertility rate
3.65
2023
3.7
2023
Median age
18.9 years
2024
20.8 years
2024
Life expectancy
67.7 years
2025
68.2 years
2025

Malawi and Rwanda: Comparison Charts

Malawi and Rwanda economies compared

GDP
Malawi

Rwanda
Year GDP
Malawi Rwanda
1960 - $119,000,024
1961 - $122,000,016
1962 - $125,000,008
1963 - $128,000,000
1964 - $129,999,994
1965 - $148,799,980
1966 - $124,525,703
1967 - $159,560,018
1968 - $172,200,018
1969 - $188,700,037
1970 - $219,900,006
1971 - $222,952,504
1972 - $246,457,838
1973 - $290,746,157
1974 - $308,458,423
1975 - $571,863,500
1976 - $637,753,853
1977 - $746,650,613
1978 - $905,709,076
1979 - $1,109,346,131
1980 $1,801,156,775 $1,254,765,642
1981 $1,801,193,910 $1,407,062,527
1982 $1,717,379,495 $1,407,243,139
1983 $1,780,148,049 $1,479,687,587
1984 $1,758,028,656 $1,587,413,084
1985 $1,646,442,273 $1,715,626,331
1986 $1,722,586,299 $1,944,710,684
1987 $1,721,711,808 $2,157,432,668
1988 $2,008,189,508 $2,395,492,687
1989 $2,314,205,130 $2,405,022,593
1990 $2,737,087,862 $2,550,185,679
1991 $3,206,783,830 $1,911,600,237
1992 $2,618,837,835 $2,029,026,962
1993 $3,013,392,658 $1,971,525,712
1994 $1,719,864,761 $753,636,370
1995 $2,033,701,498 $1,293,535,193
1996 $3,319,573,750 $1,382,334,879
1997 $3,875,785,863 $1,851,558,197
1998 $2,547,609,590 $1,989,343,546
1999 $2,584,478,924 $2,157,108,263
2000 $2,537,307,580 $2,068,836,754
2001 $2,498,008,665 $1,966,600,715
2002 $5,087,328,438 $1,966,003,468
2003 $4,669,789,300 $2,138,237,279
2004 $5,058,726,350 $2,376,496,067
2005 $5,320,409,651 $2,933,819,766
2006 $5,818,279,739 $3,319,784,539
2007 $6,451,210,219 $4,070,507,895
2008 $7,743,617,352 $5,179,854,065
2009 $9,009,887,947 $5,674,476,969
2010 $10,128,323,011 $6,124,756,654
2011 $11,648,142,958 $6,884,913,658
2012 $8,773,203,178 $7,654,761,045
2013 $8,031,571,928 $7,819,964,024
2014 $8,801,326,169 $8,238,966,120
2015 $9,219,474,379 $8,543,760,206
2016 $7,909,868,618 $8,695,272,061
2017 $8,943,543,794 $9,252,833,894
2018 $9,879,231,592 $9,637,904,519
2019 $11,051,865,580 $10,349,300,277
2020 $11,769,313,598 $10,174,386,855
2021 $12,378,129,751 $11,078,787,095
2022 $12,429,060,151 $13,316,161,006
2023 $12,712,150,082 $14,331,722,700
2024 $11,008,925,323 $14,251,642,231

Malawi and Rwanda economies compared

GDP per capita
Malawi

Rwanda
Year GDP per capita
Malawi Rwanda
1960 - $39.4
1961 - $39.3
1962 - $39.2
1963 - $39.3
1964 - $39
1965 - $43.5
1966 - $35.4
1967 - $44
1968 - $46
1969 - $48.9
1970 - $55.2
1971 - $54.4
1972 - $58.4
1973 - $66.9
1974 - $68.9
1975 - $124.1
1976 - $134.4
1977 - $152.7
1978 - $179.9
1979 - $213.8
1980 $287.5 $234.4
1981 $276.4 $254.6
1982 $253.3 $246.4
1983 $252.4 $250.6
1984 $239.7 $259.9
1985 $216.1 $271.6
1986 $217.9 $297.7
1987 $207.6 $320
1988 $229.4 $344
1989 $252.2 $335
1990 $286.7 $346
1991 $326 $254
1992 $258.4 $264.1
1993 $293 $247
1994 $169.2 $111
1995 $200.4 $228
1996 $321 $206
1997 $367 $238.7
1998 $236 $246.2
1999 $233.9 $264.7
2000 $224.2 $251.9
2001 $215.5 $237.3
2002 $428 $234
2003 $383 $249
2004 $405 $269.5
2005 $414 $324
2006 $441 $357
2007 $475 $426
2008 $554 $528
2009 $626 $564
2010 $683 $594
2011 $763 $651
2012 $558 $707
2013 $497 $705
2014 $530 $725
2015 $540 $734
2016 $451 $730
2017 $496 $758
2018 $533 $772
2019 $581 $810
2020 $603 $779
2021 $617 $830
2022 $604 $975
2023 $602 $1,027
2024 $508 $1,000

Malawi vs. Rwanda life expectancy calculator

Life expectancy
Malawi

Rwanda
Year Life expectancy, years
Malawi Rwanda
1950 32.7 43.2
1951 32.8 43.5
1952 33 43.8
1953 33.2 44.1
1954 33.3 44.4
1955 33.6 44.8
1956 33.8 45.2
1957 34.1 45.6
1958 34.4 46.1
1959 34.8 46.5
1960 35 47
1961 35.2 47.5
1962 35.4 47.8
1963 35.6 44
1964 35.7 48.1
1965 35.7 48.2
1966 35.8 48.1
1967 35.9 48
1968 36.1 47.7
1969 36.3 47.4
1970 36.6 47.1
1971 37.1 46.8
1972 37.6 46.3
1973 38.4 45.9
1974 39.2 45.6
1975 40.1 45.3
1976 41 45.3
1977 42 45.6
1978 43 46.2
1979 43.7 47.1
1980 44.3 48.1
1981 44.7 49.2
1982 44.8 50.2
1983 45 50.9
1984 44.8 51.4
1985 44.6 51.7
1986 44.3 51.7
1987 43.9 51.5
1988 43.6 50.9
1989 43.5 49.5
1990 43.6 47.8
1991 43.5 46.2
1992 43.6 44.4
1993 43.6 42.9
1994 43.8 12.2
1995 43.8 41.5
1996 44 42.5
1997 44.2 42
1998 44.3 43.1
1999 45.1 45.7
2000 46.2 47.8
2001 47.2 49.5
2002 48.2 51.3
2003 49.6 53.5
2004 51.1 55.5
2005 52.5 57
2006 53.7 58.3
2007 54.7 59.5
2008 55.7 60.6
2009 56.7 61.8
2010 57.8 62.8
2011 58.9 63.5
2012 59.9 64.2
2013 60.8 64.7
2014 61.7 65.1
2015 62.3 65.4
2016 63.2 65.7
2017 63.9 66.1
2018 64.5 66.4
2019 65 66.7
2020 65.2 67
2021 64.8 66.8
2022 66 67.5
2023 67.4 67.8
2024 67.6 68
2025 67.7 68.2

Malawi and Rwanda population clocks and comparison

Population
Malawi

Rwanda
Year Population
Malawi Rwanda
1960 3,628,134 3,022,294
1961 3,715,534 3,106,779
1962 3,806,307 3,186,025
1963 3,900,506 3,258,890
1964 3,997,305 3,334,834
1965 4,096,157 3,423,210
1966 4,197,926 3,521,626
1967 4,303,012 3,629,577
1968 4,411,054 3,744,010
1969 4,521,184 3,861,271
1970 4,633,944 3,980,669
1971 4,751,434 4,100,044
1972 4,874,475 4,220,335
1973 5,003,938 4,345,047
1974 5,141,337 4,474,228
1975 5,287,367 4,607,728
1976 5,443,384 4,745,954
1977 5,614,983 4,888,240
1978 5,810,132 5,035,171
1979 6,028,749 5,189,541
1980 6,265,529 5,353,259
1981 6,516,454 5,527,230
1982 6,778,879 5,711,549
1983 7,051,709 5,905,311
1984 7,332,810 6,107,627
1985 7,620,508 6,317,228
1986 7,906,480 6,531,881
1987 8,293,174 6,749,493
1988 8,753,262 6,968,071
1989 9,176,220 7,184,706
1990 9,545,852 7,375,307
1991 9,844,227 7,526,966
1992 10,135,079 7,683,266
1993 10,284,024 7,981,132
1994 10,164,894 6,792,352
1995 10,150,117 5,674,118
1996 10,352,228 6,708,764
1997 10,562,035 7,755,238
1998 10,792,876 8,081,681
1999 11,047,804 8,147,912
2000 11,315,942 8,213,931
2001 11,593,058 8,287,094
2002 11,880,440 8,400,180
2003 12,181,574 8,586,875
2004 12,500,737 8,816,844
2005 12,840,031 9,054,528
2006 13,198,701 9,299,246
2007 13,576,343 9,549,933
2008 13,976,417 9,804,269
2009 14,395,788 10,060,432
2010 14,826,463 10,317,553
2011 15,265,022 10,573,733
2012 15,709,577 10,829,901
2013 16,161,816 11,093,340
2014 16,621,538 11,364,757
2015 17,085,587 11,640,022
2016 17,557,739 11,919,183
2017 18,039,715 12,202,060
2018 18,528,081 12,487,996
2019 19,025,752 12,776,103
2020 19,533,888 13,065,837
2021 20,047,258 13,355,260
2022 20,568,728 13,651,030
2023 21,104,482 13,954,471
2024 21,655,286 14,256,567

Fertility rates in Malawi and Rwanda

Fertility rate
Malawi

Rwanda
Year Fertility rate
Malawi Rwanda
1960 7.04 8.28
1961 7.07 8.28
1962 7.1 8.27
1963 7.13 8.27
1964 7.11 8.27
1965 7.13 8.25
1966 7.17 8.23
1967 7.21 8.21
1968 7.26 8.19
1969 7.27 8.18
1970 7.3 8.15
1971 7.31 8.09
1972 7.33 8.09
1973 7.34 8.09
1974 7.34 8.1
1975 7.36 8.1
1976 7.39 8.12
1977 7.41 8.14
1978 7.43 8.16
1979 7.47 8.13
1980 7.52 8.12
1981 7.49 8.1
1982 7.45 8.06
1983 7.36 8
1984 7.27 7.91
1985 7.17 7.79
1986 7.07 7.61
1987 6.97 7.43
1988 6.88 7.23
1989 6.8 7.03
1990 6.74 6.8
1991 6.68 6.62
1992 6.63 6.54
1993 6.57 6.48
1994 6.49 6.42
1995 6.39 6.35
1996 6.29 6.29
1997 6.23 6.24
1998 6.21 6.17
1999 6.12 6.06
2000 6 5.97
2001 5.94 5.89
2002 5.9 5.82
2003 5.88 5.74
2004 5.86 5.64
2005 5.85 5.5
2006 5.8 5.34
2007 5.72 5.14
2008 5.61 4.92
2009 5.45 4.71
2010 5.26 4.52
2011 5.08 4.33
2012 4.9 4.2
2013 4.76 4.14
2014 4.57 4.12
2015 4.38 4.11
2016 4.22 4.11
2017 4.11 4.08
2018 4.02 4.05
2019 3.95 3.99
2020 3.88 3.91
2021 3.79 3.84
2022 3.72 3.78
2023 3.65 3.7

Malawi and Rwanda demographics compared

Median age
Malawi

Rwanda
Year Median age, years
Malawi Rwanda
1960 18.2 15.5
1961 18.3 15.1
1962 18.3 14.9
1963 18.3 14.8
1964 18.3 14.7
1965 18.4 14.8
1966 18.3 14.9
1967 18.3 15.1
1968 18.3 15.3
1969 18.2 15.5
1970 18 15.7
1971 17.9 15.9
1972 17.8 16
1973 17.7 16.2
1974 17.6 16.3
1975 17.5 16.4
1976 17.5 16.5
1977 17.4 16.6
1978 17.4 16.6
1979 17.4 16.5
1980 17.3 16.5
1981 17.3 16.4
1982 17.3 16.2
1983 17.3 16.1
1984 17.3 16
1985 17.3 15.8
1986 17.3 15.7
1987 17.4 15.6
1988 17.5 15.6
1989 17.4 15.5
1990 17.3 15.5
1991 17.2 15.5
1992 17.1 15.6
1993 17 15.7
1994 16.9 15
1995 16.9 14.3
1996 16.8 14.6
1997 16.8 14.8
1998 16.8 15.3
1999 16.7 15.8
2000 16.8 16.3
2001 16.8 16.8
2002 16.8 17.1
2003 16.8 17.4
2004 16.8 17.6
2005 16.8 17.8
2006 16.8 18
2007 16.8 18.1
2008 16.8 18.3
2009 16.7 18.4
2010 16.7 18.5
2011 16.8 18.7
2012 16.8 18.8
2013 16.9 19
2014 17 19.1
2015 17.1 19.3
2016 17.2 19.4
2017 17.4 19.6
2018 17.6 19.7
2019 17.8 19.8
2020 18 19.9
2021 18.2 20
2022 18.4 20.3
2023 18.7 20.5
2024 18.9 20.8

Interactive Maps

Use the buttons below to switch between world maps comparing statistics for Malawi and Rwanda.

GDP per capita

GDP

Life expectancy

Population

Population density

Fertility rate

Median age

Land area

National statistics comparison

Finance

Malawi Rwanda
GNI, Atlas method
$11.8B
2024
$14.8B
2024
Government expenditure, % of GDP
28%
2025
27.4%
2025
Education expenditure, % of GDP
2.75%
2022
4.69%
2024
Military expenditure, % of GDP
1.01%
2023
1.27%
2023
Armed forces personnel
15,000
2020
35,000
2020
Deficit/surplus, % of GDP
-8.94%
2025
-6.29%
2025
Unemployment rate
0.91%
2020
11.3%
2024
Services, % of GDP
44.9%
2024
47.6%
2024
Industry, % of GDP
16%
2024
21%
2024
Economic freedom index
50.9
2025
54.8
2025
Income share by richest 10%
31%
2019
33.4%
2023
Income share by poorest 10%
2.9%
2019
3.1%
2023
Listed domestic companies n/a
5
2024
Market capitalization of domestic companies n/a
$2.75B
2024
Total reserves including gold
$594M
2020
$2.41B
2024
Personal remittances received
$264M
2024
$537M
2024
International tourist arrivals
871,000
2018
1,634,000
2019
International tourism as share of exports
2.68%
2020
11%
2020
Banked people share
50.4%
2024
50%
2017

Energy

Malawi Rwanda
Energy use, kg of oil equivalent per capita n/a
373 kg
2022
GDP PPP per kg equivalent of energy use n/a
$8.31
2022
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
6.45 megatons
2023
1.65 megatons
2023
CO2 emissions per capita
0.31 tons
2023
0.12 tons
2023
Fossil fuel energy use share n/a
0%
2022
Renewable energy use share
62.9%
2022
79.9%
2022
Alternative and nuclear energy use share n/a
0.97%
2022
Net energy imports use share n/a
10.6%
2022
Electric power consumption per capita n/a
68.1 kWh
2022
Renewable electricity output share
80.1%
2021
61%
2021
Hydroelectric share
72.5%
2021
50.3%
2022
Nuclear share
0%
2021
0%
2021
Electricity access
15.6%
2023
63.9%
2023

Society

Malawi Rwanda
% of world population
0.27%
2024
0.18%
2024
Annual migration change
-1,507
2024
-15,582
2024
Urban population
18.6%
2024
18.1%
2024
Male:Female ratio
50:50
2024
50:50
2024
Average male height
5.44 ft
2025
5.45 ft
2025
Average female height
5.12 ft
2025
5.14 ft
2025
Quality of life index
27.7
2025
33.6
2025
Corruption Perceptions Index
34
2024
57
2024
Higher education index
35
2025
9
2025
Homicides per 100K people
1.79
2012
3.59
2020
Road traffic mortality per 100K people
33.4
2019
29.4
2019
Visa free countries
80
2025
73
2025
Adult literacy rate
68.1%
2022
78.8%
2022
English speaking
3.88%
2023
15%
2023
People using the Internet
18%
2023
34.2%
2023

Health

Malawi Rwanda
Government health expenditure per capita
$39.7
2022
$76.8
2022
Out-of-pocket health expenditure per capita
$4.8
2022
$7.39
2022
Life expectancy
67.7 years
2025
68.2 years
2025
Foreign aid share of health expenditure
64.7%
2022
42.9%
2022
Physicians per 1,000 people
0.05
2022
0.12
2019
Age at first childbirth
19.1 years
2025
23 years
2025
Maternal mortality per 100K births
225
2023
229
2023
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births
38.3
2023
40
2023
Obesity rate
7.87%
2022
4.99%
2022
Diabetes prevalence
5.7%
2024
2.1%
2024
Air quality index
34
2025
6
2025
Tobacco use prevalence
9.7%
2022
14.3%
2022
Pure alcohol consumption per capita
3.61 liters
2020
2.87 liters
2020

Territory

Malawi Rwanda
% of world land
0.06%
2025
0.02%
2025
Land area per capita
1,681 sq mi
2024
668 sq mi
2024
Agricultural land area
23,359 sq mi
2025
7,271 sq mi
2025
Forest area
8,169 sq mi
2025
1,077 sq mi
2025
Roads length
9,601 mi
2015
2,920 mi
2021

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Facts comparisons

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