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Malawi vs South Africa statistics compared

Updated on by Georank team

Malawi has a population of 21.7M (ranked 62/197), compared with 64M in South Africa (ranked 24/197). Malawi's land area is 36,402 sq mi versus 468,377 sq mi for South Africa (ranked 107th vs. 24th).

By GDP, Malawi ranks 151/197 ($11B) and South Africa ranks 41/197 ($400B). By GDP per capita, Malawi ranks 195/197 ($508), while South Africa ranks 112/197 ($6,253).

Main facts and rankings

Malawi South Africa
Population
22673513
65314246
Population rank 61/197 24/197
GDP
$11B
2024
$400B
2024
GDP rank 151/197 41/197
GDP per capita
$508
2024
$6,253
2024
GDP per capita rank 195/197 112/197
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,859
2024
$15,457
2024
Government debt
$8.19B
2024
$306B
2024
Debt-to-GDP ratio
73%
2025
79.6%
2025
Government debt per person
$378
2024
$4,775
2024
Government debt per person rank 173/185 83/185
Average annual personal income after taxes
$2,610
2025
$13,449
2025
Land area
36,402 sq mi
2025
468,377 sq mi
2025
Population density
595 ppl/mi²
2024
136.7 ppl/mi²
2024
Fertility rate
3.65
2023
2.22
2023
Median age
18.9 years
2024
29.5 years
2024
Life expectancy
67.7 years
2025
66.5 years
2025

Malawi and South Africa: Comparison Charts

Malawi and South Africa economies compared

GDP
Malawi

South Africa
Year GDP
Malawi South Africa
1960 - $8,748,596,501
1961 - $9,225,996,310
1962 - $9,813,996,074
1963 - $10,854,195,658
1964 - $11,955,995,218
1965 - $13,068,994,772
1966 - $14,211,394,315
1967 - $15,821,393,671
1968 - $17,124,793,150
1969 - $19,256,992,297
1970 - $21,218,391,513
1971 - $23,411,076,638
1972 - $24,515,919,217
1973 - $33,262,772,008
1974 - $41,389,186,095
1975 - $42,906,905,672
1976 - $41,150,460,288
1977 - $45,328,411,332
1978 - $51,607,412,902
1979 - $63,038,658,089
1980 $1,801,156,775 $89,411,864,402
1981 $1,801,193,910 $93,141,472,164
1982 $1,717,379,495 $85,904,057,409
1983 $1,780,148,049 $96,204,110,942
1984 $1,758,028,656 $84,870,163,366
1985 $1,646,442,273 $64,459,376,087
1986 $1,722,586,299 $73,354,771,399
1987 $1,721,711,808 $96,535,763,418
1988 $2,008,189,508 $103,976,831,871
1989 $2,314,205,130 $108,055,624,082
1990 $2,737,087,862 $126,048,140,142
1991 $3,206,783,830 $135,203,698,238
1992 $2,618,837,835 $146,956,150,987
1993 $3,013,392,658 $147,194,747,566
1994 $1,719,864,761 $153,512,712,382
1995 $2,033,701,498 $171,735,933,897
1996 $3,319,573,750 $163,234,925,381
1997 $3,875,785,863 $168,978,057,328
1998 $2,547,609,590 $152,982,984,557
1999 $2,584,478,924 $151,516,957,079
2000 $2,537,307,580 $151,752,757,215
2001 $2,498,008,665 $135,429,905,923
2002 $5,087,328,438 $129,087,556,612
2003 $4,669,789,300 $197,018,965,309
2004 $5,058,726,350 $255,806,908,595
2005 $5,320,409,651 $288,867,217,197
2006 $5,818,279,739 $303,858,675,364
2007 $6,451,210,219 $333,077,117,254
2008 $7,743,617,352 $316,131,258,616
2009 $9,009,887,947 $329,754,060,647
2010 $10,128,323,011 $417,363,822,802
2011 $11,648,142,958 $458,199,494,831
2012 $8,773,203,178 $434,400,545,086
2013 $8,031,571,928 $400,886,013,596
2014 $8,801,326,169 $381,198,869,776
2015 $9,219,474,379 $346,709,790,459
2016 $7,909,868,618 $323,585,509,674
2017 $8,943,543,794 $381,448,814,653
2018 $9,879,231,592 $405,260,723,893
2019 $11,051,865,580 $389,330,032,224
2020 $11,769,313,598 $337,974,655,408
2021 $12,378,129,751 $420,886,877,629
2022 $12,429,060,151 $406,920,004,594
2023 $12,712,150,082 $380,699,271,816
2024 $11,008,925,323 $400,260,724,226

Malawi and South Africa economies compared

GDP per capita
Malawi

South Africa
Year GDP per capita
Malawi South Africa
1960 - $532
1961 - $546
1962 - $563
1963 - $605
1964 - $646
1965 - $685
1966 - $722
1967 - $779
1968 - $817
1969 - $891
1970 - $952
1971 - $1,020
1972 - $1,038
1973 - $1,369
1974 - $1,656
1975 - $1,670
1976 - $1,559
1977 - $1,671
1978 - $1,852
1979 - $2,202
1980 $287.5 $3,029
1981 $276.4 $3,050
1982 $253.3 $2,717
1983 $252.4 $2,938
1984 $239.7 $2,504
1985 $216.1 $1,839
1986 $217.9 $2,027
1987 $207.6 $2,586
1988 $229.4 $2,702
1989 $252.2 $2,727
1990 $286.7 $3,093
1991 $326 $3,243
1992 $258.4 $3,462
1993 $293 $3,400
1994 $169.2 $3,489
1995 $200.4 $3,856
1996 $321 $3,618
1997 $367 $3,700
1998 $236 $3,310
1999 $233.9 $3,242
2000 $224.2 $3,218
2001 $215.5 $2,847
2002 $428 $2,688
2003 $383 $4,062
2004 $405 $5,221
2005 $414 $5,837
2006 $441 $6,077
2007 $475 $6,592
2008 $554 $6,185
2009 $626 $6,375
2010 $683 $7,973
2011 $763 $8,646
2012 $558 $8,077
2013 $497 $7,332
2014 $530 $6,857
2015 $540 $6,112
2016 $451 $5,651
2017 $496 $6,618
2018 $533 $6,914
2019 $581 $6,534
2020 $603 $5,581
2021 $617 $6,843
2022 $604 $6,523
2023 $602 $6,023
2024 $508 $6,253

Malawi vs. South Africa life expectancy calculator

Life expectancy
Malawi

South Africa
Year Life expectancy, years
Malawi South Africa
1950 32.7 43.1
1951 32.8 44.1
1952 33 45
1953 33.2 46.1
1954 33.3 47.1
1955 33.6 48.2
1956 33.8 49.2
1957 34.1 50.2
1958 34.4 51.1
1959 34.8 51.9
1960 35 52.6
1961 35.2 53.1
1962 35.4 53.6
1963 35.6 53.9
1964 35.7 54.2
1965 35.7 54.4
1966 35.8 54.7
1967 35.9 55
1968 36.1 55.2
1969 36.3 55.4
1970 36.6 55.7
1971 37.1 56
1972 37.6 56.4
1973 38.4 56.7
1974 39.2 57.1
1975 40.1 57.6
1976 41 58
1977 42 58.5
1978 43 59
1979 43.7 59.5
1980 44.3 60
1981 44.7 60.4
1982 44.8 60.9
1983 45 61.4
1984 44.8 61.8
1985 44.6 62.2
1986 44.3 62.4
1987 43.9 62.7
1988 43.6 62.9
1989 43.5 63
1990 43.6 62.9
1991 43.5 63
1992 43.6 62.8
1993 43.6 62.6
1994 43.8 62.1
1995 43.8 61.6
1996 44 61.1
1997 44.2 60.5
1998 44.3 59.9
1999 45.1 59.2
2000 46.2 58.4
2001 47.2 57.2
2002 48.2 55.6
2003 49.6 54.2
2004 51.1 54
2005 52.5 53.9
2006 53.7 54.2
2007 54.7 54.9
2008 55.7 56
2009 56.7 57.4
2010 57.8 58.9
2011 58.9 60.6
2012 59.9 61.7
2013 60.8 62.4
2014 61.7 63.2
2015 62.3 64.1
2016 63.2 64.7
2017 63.9 65.4
2018 64.5 65.7
2019 65 66.1
2020 65.2 65.2
2021 64.8 62
2022 66 65.5
2023 67.4 66.1
2024 67.6 66.3
2025 67.7 66.5

Malawi and South Africa population clocks and comparison

Population
Malawi

South Africa
Year Population
Malawi South Africa
1960 3,628,134 16,440,172
1961 3,715,534 16,908,035
1962 3,806,307 17,418,522
1963 3,900,506 17,954,564
1964 3,997,305 18,511,361
1965 4,096,157 19,089,380
1966 4,197,926 19,690,087
1967 4,303,012 20,314,066
1968 4,411,054 20,957,287
1969 4,521,184 21,614,676
1970 4,633,944 22,279,984
1971 4,751,434 22,942,143
1972 4,874,475 23,609,456
1973 5,003,938 24,294,263
1974 5,141,337 24,989,108
1975 5,287,367 25,690,940
1976 5,443,384 26,395,450
1977 5,614,983 27,118,952
1978 5,810,132 27,869,507
1979 6,028,749 28,634,162
1980 6,265,529 29,518,857
1981 6,516,454 30,541,044
1982 6,778,879 31,615,339
1983 7,051,709 32,739,304
1984 7,332,810 33,892,788
1985 7,620,508 35,042,093
1986 7,906,480 36,180,515
1987 8,293,174 37,326,190
1988 8,753,262 38,480,649
1989 9,176,220 39,628,575
1990 9,545,852 40,746,268
1991 9,844,227 41,687,898
1992 10,135,079 42,443,509
1993 10,284,024 43,297,156
1994 10,164,894 44,004,139
1995 10,150,117 44,541,554
1996 10,352,228 45,123,018
1997 10,562,035 45,666,838
1998 10,792,876 46,223,880
1999 11,047,804 46,730,335
2000 11,315,942 47,159,719
2001 11,593,058 47,566,800
2002 11,880,440 48,019,415
2003 12,181,574 48,500,348
2004 12,500,737 48,991,421
2005 12,840,031 49,490,033
2006 13,198,701 49,998,277
2007 13,576,343 50,528,584
2008 13,976,417 51,114,599
2009 14,395,788 51,728,516
2010 14,826,463 52,344,051
2011 15,265,022 52,995,205
2012 15,709,577 53,782,567
2013 16,161,816 54,678,791
2014 16,621,538 55,594,838
2015 17,085,587 56,723,537
2016 17,557,739 57,259,551
2017 18,039,715 57,635,162
2018 18,528,081 58,613,001
2019 19,025,752 59,587,885
2020 19,533,888 60,562,381
2021 20,047,258 61,502,603
2022 20,568,728 62,378,410
2023 21,104,482 63,212,384
2024 21,655,286 64,007,187

Fertility rates in Malawi and South Africa

Fertility rate
Malawi

South Africa
Year Fertility rate
Malawi South Africa
1960 7.04 6.11
1961 7.07 6.08
1962 7.1 6.05
1963 7.13 6.01
1964 7.11 5.96
1965 7.13 5.89
1966 7.17 5.91
1967 7.21 5.85
1968 7.26 5.78
1969 7.27 5.72
1970 7.3 5.63
1971 7.31 5.57
1972 7.33 5.49
1973 7.34 5.41
1974 7.34 5.3
1975 7.36 5.19
1976 7.39 5.07
1977 7.41 4.94
1978 7.43 4.85
1979 7.47 4.82
1980 7.52 4.78
1981 7.49 4.71
1982 7.45 4.7
1983 7.36 4.63
1984 7.27 4.57
1985 7.17 4.5
1986 7.07 4.41
1987 6.97 4.35
1988 6.88 4.18
1989 6.8 3.98
1990 6.74 3.72
1991 6.68 3.62
1992 6.63 3.48
1993 6.57 3.37
1994 6.49 3.26
1995 6.39 3.17
1996 6.29 2.99
1997 6.23 2.73
1998 6.21 2.63
1999 6.12 2.56
2000 6 2.41
2001 5.94 2.37
2002 5.9 2.32
2003 5.88 2.36
2004 5.86 2.44
2005 5.85 2.51
2006 5.8 2.55
2007 5.72 2.55
2008 5.61 2.68
2009 5.45 2.5
2010 5.26 2.44
2011 5.08 2.44
2012 4.9 2.45
2013 4.76 2.43
2014 4.57 2.42
2015 4.38 2.36
2016 4.22 2.26
2017 4.11 2.28
2018 4.02 2.27
2019 3.95 2.26
2020 3.88 2.26
2021 3.79 2.25
2022 3.72 2.23
2023 3.65 2.22

Malawi and South Africa demographics compared

Median age
Malawi

South Africa
Year Median age, years
Malawi South Africa
1960 18.2 19
1961 18.3 19
1962 18.3 18.9
1963 18.3 18.9
1964 18.3 18.9
1965 18.4 18.8
1966 18.3 18.8
1967 18.3 18.8
1968 18.3 18.8
1969 18.2 18.8
1970 18 18.8
1971 17.9 18.8
1972 17.8 18.8
1973 17.7 18.8
1974 17.6 18.9
1975 17.5 18.9
1976 17.5 19
1977 17.4 19.1
1978 17.4 19.2
1979 17.4 19.3
1980 17.3 19.4
1981 17.3 19.6
1982 17.3 19.8
1983 17.3 20
1984 17.3 20.2
1985 17.3 20.4
1986 17.3 20.5
1987 17.4 20.7
1988 17.5 20.9
1989 17.4 21.1
1990 17.3 21.3
1991 17.2 21.5
1992 17.1 21.5
1993 17 21.9
1994 16.9 22
1995 16.9 21.5
1996 16.8 21.2
1997 16.8 21.2
1998 16.8 21.4
1999 16.7 21.6
2000 16.8 21.9
2001 16.8 22.2
2002 16.8 22.4
2003 16.8 22.8
2004 16.8 23.1
2005 16.8 23.3
2006 16.8 23.5
2007 16.8 23.8
2008 16.8 24
2009 16.7 24.3
2010 16.7 24.6
2011 16.8 25
2012 16.8 25.3
2013 16.9 25.7
2014 17 26
2015 17.1 26.4
2016 17.2 26.7
2017 17.4 27
2018 17.6 27.5
2019 17.8 27.9
2020 18 28.3
2021 18.2 28.6
2022 18.4 28.9
2023 18.7 29.2
2024 18.9 29.5

Interactive Maps

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

GDP per capita

GDP

Life expectancy

Population

Population density

Fertility rate

Median age

Land area

National statistics comparison

Finance

Malawi South Africa
GNI, Atlas method
$11.8B
2024
$390B
2024
Government expenditure, % of GDP
28%
2025
34%
2025
Education expenditure, % of GDP
2.75%
2022
6.02%
2024
Military expenditure, % of GDP
1.01%
2023
0.73%
2023
Armed forces personnel
15,000
2020
89,000
2020
Deficit/surplus, % of GDP
-8.94%
2025
-6.55%
2025
Unemployment rate
0.91%
2020
32.3%
2024
Services, % of GDP
44.9%
2024
62.7%
2024
Industry, % of GDP
16%
2024
24.4%
2024
Economic freedom index
50.9
2025
57.3
2025
Income share by richest 10%
31%
2019
50.5%
2014
Income share by poorest 10%
2.9%
2019
0.9%
2014
Number of millionaires n/a
90,595
2024
Percentage of millionaires n/a
0.22%
2024
Number of billionaires n/a
7
2025
Percentage of billionaires n/a
0.00002%
2025
Listed domestic companies n/a
220
2024
Market capitalization of domestic companies n/a
$986B
2024
Total reserves including gold
$594M
2020
$65.4B
2024
Personal remittances received
$264M
2024
$855M
2024
International tourist arrivals
871,000
2018
3,886,600
2020
International tourism as share of exports
2.68%
2020
2.89%
2020
Banked people share
50.4%
2024
81.1%
2024

Energy

Malawi South Africa
Energy use, kg of oil equivalent per capita n/a
1,939 kg
2023
GDP PPP per kg equivalent of energy use n/a
$7.84
2023
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
6.45 megatons
2023
397 megatons
2023
CO2 emissions per capita
0.31 tons
2023
6.29 tons
2023
Fossil fuel energy use share n/a
93.3%
2022
Renewable energy use share
62.9%
2022
9.7%
2021
Alternative and nuclear energy use share n/a
3.58%
2023
Net energy imports use share n/a
-12.5%
2023
Electric power consumption per capita n/a
3,247 kWh
2023
Renewable electricity output share
80.1%
2021
6.45%
2021
Hydroelectric share
72.5%
2021
2.91%
2023
Nuclear share
0%
2021
3.73%
2023
Electricity access
15.6%
2023
87.7%
2023

Society

Malawi South Africa
% of world population
0.27%
2024
0.79%
2024
Annual migration change
-1,507
2024
+166,972
2024
Urban population
18.6%
2024
69.3%
2024
Male:Female ratio
50:50
2024
50:50
2024
Average male height
5.44 ft
2025
5.56 ft
2025
Average female height
5.12 ft
2025
5.2 ft
2025
Quality of life index
27.7
2025
40.1
2025
Corruption Perceptions Index
34
2024
41
2024
Higher education index
35
2025
81
2025
Homicides per 100K people
1.79
2012
45.5
2022
Road traffic mortality per 100K people
33.4
2019
22.2
2019
Visa free countries
80
2025
111
2025
Adult literacy rate
68.1%
2022
91.2%
2024
English speaking
3.88%
2023
31%
2023
People using the Internet
18%
2023
75.7%
2023

Health

Malawi South Africa
Government health expenditure per capita
$39.7
2022
$570
2022
Out-of-pocket health expenditure per capita
$4.8
2022
$38.2
2022
Life expectancy
67.7 years
2025
66.5 years
2025
Foreign aid share of health expenditure
64.7%
2022
1.9%
2022
Physicians per 1,000 people
0.05
2022
0.81
2021
Age at first childbirth
19.1 years
2025
n/a
Maternal mortality per 100K births
225
2023
118
2023
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births
38.3
2023
34.7
2023
Obesity rate
7.87%
2022
31.4%
2022
Diabetes prevalence
5.7%
2024
7.2%
2024
Air quality index
34
2025
40
2025
Tobacco use prevalence
9.7%
2022
20.7%
2022
Pure alcohol consumption per capita
3.61 liters
2020
7.13 liters
2020

Territory

Malawi South Africa
% of world land
0.06%
2025
0.81%
2025
Land area per capita
1,681 sq mi
2024
7,318 sq mi
2024
Agricultural land area
23,359 sq mi
2025
371,975 sq mi
2025
Forest area
8,169 sq mi
2025
65,409 sq mi
2025
Roads length
9,601 mi
2015
466,028 mi
2016

In-depth comparisons

Facts comparisons

Facts vs Malawi vs South Africa
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