Ghana vs Malawi
Ghana vs Malawi: Life expectancy
Life expectancy in 2023: 65.5 years in Ghana and 67.4 years in Malawi, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Malawi, by 1.8 years, or 1.03 times that in Ghana.
years · UN
What the numbers say
- Malawi has been higher since 2017, when it overtook Ghana.
- In 2023, Ghana ranked 200 and Malawi ranked 182 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Ghana at 77.1 years and Malawi at 78.6 years in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 73.2 years in 2023.
Every year
years · UN
| Year | Ghana | Malawi | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 65.5 | 67.4 | 73.2 |
| 2022 | 65.3 | 66 | 72.6 |
| 2021 | 64.3 | 64.8 | 70.9 |
| 2020 | 64.3 | 65.2 | 71.9 |
| 2019 | 64.5 | 65 | 72.6 |
| 2018 | 64.1 | 64.5 | 72.4 |
| 2017 | 63.8 | 63.9 | 72.1 |
| 2016 | 63.5 | 63.2 | 71.9 |
| 2015 | 63.2 | 62.3 | 71.6 |
| 2014 | 62.8 | 61.7 | 71.4 |
| 2013 | 62.4 | 60.8 | 71.1 |
| 2012 | 62 | 59.9 | 70.8 |
| 2011 | 61.6 | 58.9 | 70.4 |
| 2010 | 61.3 | 57.8 | 70.1 |
| 2009 | 60.9 | 56.7 | 69.7 |
| 2008 | 60.6 | 55.7 | 69.3 |
| 2007 | 60.3 | 54.7 | 69 |
| 2006 | 60 | 53.7 | 68.6 |
| 2005 | 59.6 | 52.5 | 68.1 |
| 2004 | 59.3 | 51.1 | 67.7 |
| 2003 | 59 | 49.6 | 67.4 |
| 2002 | 58.7 | 48.2 | 67.1 |
| 2001 | 58.4 | 47.2 | 66.8 |
| 2000 | 58.1 | 46.2 | 66.4 |
| 1999 | 57.8 | 45.1 | 66 |
| 1998 | 57.5 | 44.3 | 65.7 |
| 1997 | 57.2 | 44.2 | 65.5 |
| 1996 | 57 | 44 | 65.2 |
| 1995 | 56.7 | 43.8 | 64.9 |
| 1994 | 56.2 | 43.8 | 64.3 |
| 1993 | 56.3 | 43.7 | 64.4 |
| 1992 | 56.1 | 43.6 | 64.3 |
| 1991 | 55.7 | 43.5 | 64.1 |
| 1990 | 55.4 | 43.6 | 64 |
| 1989 | 54.9 | 43.5 | 63.8 |
| 1988 | 54.4 | 43.6 | 63.4 |
| 1987 | 53.8 | 43.9 | 63.2 |
| 1986 | 53.3 | 44.3 | 62.7 |
| 1985 | 52.7 | 44.6 | 62.2 |
| 1984 | 52.2 | 44.8 | 61.9 |
| 1983 | 51.8 | 45 | 61.5 |
| 1982 | 51.4 | 44.8 | 61.3 |
| 1981 | 51.3 | 44.7 | 60.9 |
| 1980 | 51.1 | 44.3 | 60.5 |
| 1979 | 50.8 | 43.7 | 60.2 |
| 1978 | 50.5 | 43 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 50.1 | 42 | 59.2 |
| 1976 | 49.7 | 41 | 58.6 |
| 1975 | 49.3 | 40.1 | 58.3 |
| 1974 | 48.9 | 39.2 | 58.1 |
| 1973 | 48.6 | 38.4 | 57.7 |
| 1972 | 48.3 | 37.6 | 57.2 |
| 1971 | 48 | 37.1 | 56 |
| 1970 | 47.9 | 36.6 | 56.3 |
| 1969 | 47.9 | 36.3 | 56 |
| 1968 | 47.8 | 36.1 | 55.6 |
| 1967 | 47.7 | 35.9 | 55.1 |
| 1966 | 47.7 | 35.8 | 54.6 |
| 1965 | 47.7 | 35.7 | 54 |
| 1964 | 47.6 | 35.7 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 47.5 | 35.6 | 53.7 |
| 1962 | 47.3 | 35.5 | 53.2 |
| 1961 | 47.1 | 35.2 | 50.4 |
| 1960 | 46.9 | 35 | 47.8 |
| 1959 | 46.7 | 34.8 | 49.6 |
| 1958 | 46.4 | 34.4 | 51.6 |
| 1957 | 46.1 | 34.1 | 51.1 |
| 1956 | 45.8 | 33.9 | 50.7 |
| 1955 | 45.4 | 33.6 | 50.2 |
| 1954 | 45 | 33.4 | 49.7 |
| 1953 | 44.5 | 33.2 | 48.8 |
| 1952 | 44 | 33 | 48.2 |
| 1951 | 43.6 | 32.8 | 47.1 |
| 1950 | 43.1 | 32.7 | 46.4 |
| 1921 | 28 | – | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Our World in Data
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Ghana | Malawi | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 65.764.2–67.1 | 67.666.2–69 | 73.3 |
| 2025 | 65.963.9–68 | 67.765.8–69.6 | 73.5 |
| 2026 | 66.163.6–68.7 | 67.965.5–70.2 | 73.8 |
| 2027 | 66.363.4–69.2 | 68.165.3–70.9 | 73.9 |
| 2028 | 66.563.3–69.7 | 68.365.1–71.2 | 74.1 |
| 2029 | 66.763.3–70.2 | 68.564.9–71.7 | 74.2 |
| 2030 | 66.863.3–70.6 | 68.664.9–72 | 74.4 |
| 2031 | 6763.2–71.1 | 68.864.8–72.5 | 74.5 |
| 2032 | 67.262.9–71.4 | 6964.7–72.9 | 74.7 |
| 2033 | 67.462.8–71.7 | 69.164.6–73.4 | 74.8 |
| 2034 | 67.562.8–72.3 | 69.364.6–73.7 | 75 |
| 2035 | 67.762.7–72.5 | 69.564.6–74 | 75.1 |
| 2036 | 67.962.8–72.9 | 69.664.5–74.3 | 75.3 |
| 2037 | 6862.8–73.3 | 69.864.6–74.8 | 75.4 |
| 2038 | 68.262.6–73.5 | 69.964.6–75.1 | 75.5 |
| 2039 | 68.462.5–73.7 | 70.164.6–75.4 | 75.7 |
| 2040 | 68.562.4–74.1 | 70.364.6–75.8 | 75.8 |
| 2041 | 68.762.5–74.3 | 70.464.4–76.1 | 75.9 |
| 2042 | 68.862.6–74.6 | 70.664.5–76.5 | 76.1 |
| 2043 | 6962.4–74.8 | 70.764.3–76.6 | 76.2 |
| 2044 | 69.162.5–75.5 | 70.864.1–77 | 76.3 |
| 2045 | 69.362.5–75.6 | 7164.7–77.3 | 76.5 |
| 2046 | 69.462.5–75.9 | 71.164.5–77.6 | 76.6 |
| 2047 | 69.662.6–76.2 | 71.364.4–77.7 | 76.7 |
| 2048 | 69.862.6–76.4 | 71.464.5–78.1 | 76.8 |
| 2049 | 69.962.5–76.8 | 71.664.6–78.6 | 76.9 |
| 2050 | 70.162.3–77.2 | 71.764.6–78.8 | 77 |
| 2051 | 70.262.4–77.3 | 71.864.4–79 | 77.1 |
| 2052 | 70.362.3–77.6 | 7264.6–79.3 | 77.2 |
| 2053 | 70.562.4–78.1 | 72.164.6–79.5 | 77.3 |
| 2054 | 70.662.5–78.2 | 72.364.6–79.9 | 77.4 |
| 2055 | 70.862.5–78.4 | 72.464.7–80 | 77.6 |
| 2056 | 7162.5–78.8 | 72.564.7–80.3 | 77.7 |
| 2057 | 71.162.5–78.9 | 72.764.7–80.5 | 77.8 |
| 2058 | 71.262.5–79.1 | 72.864.6–80.7 | 77.9 |
| 2059 | 71.462.7–79.3 | 7364.7–80.8 | 78 |
| 2060 | 71.562.6–79.6 | 73.164.7–81.1 | 78.1 |
| 2061 | 71.662.7–79.7 | 73.364.8–81.4 | 78.2 |
| 2062 | 71.862.7–80 | 73.464.8–81.7 | 78.3 |
| 2063 | 71.962.6–80.2 | 73.664.9–81.8 | 78.4 |
| 2064 | 7262.7–80.5 | 73.764.9–82.2 | 78.5 |
| 2065 | 72.262.8–80.8 | 73.864.8–82.6 | 78.6 |
| 2066 | 72.362.6–80.7 | 7464.9–82.7 | 78.7 |
| 2067 | 72.562.5–81 | 74.165–83 | 78.8 |
| 2068 | 72.662.6–81.5 | 74.364.8–82.9 | 78.9 |
| 2069 | 72.762.9–81.6 | 74.464.7–83 | 79 |
| 2070 | 72.962.9–81.8 | 74.565–83.3 | 79.1 |
| 2071 | 7362.9–82.3 | 74.764.7–83.4 | 79.2 |
| 2072 | 73.262.8–82.4 | 74.864.9–83.5 | 79.3 |
| 2073 | 73.363.3–82.5 | 74.965–83.6 | 79.4 |
| 2074 | 73.563.2–82.6 | 75.165–83.9 | 79.4 |
| 2075 | 73.663–82.9 | 75.265–84 | 79.5 |
| 2076 | 73.763.2–83.2 | 75.464.8–84.2 | 79.6 |
| 2077 | 73.963.3–83.4 | 75.564.8–84.2 | 79.7 |
| 2078 | 7463.1–83.4 | 75.664.9–84.5 | 79.8 |
| 2079 | 74.163.2–83.7 | 75.864.8–84.6 | 79.9 |
| 2080 | 74.363.1–83.9 | 75.965.3–84.8 | 80 |
| 2081 | 74.462.9–84.2 | 7665.4–85.1 | 80.1 |
| 2082 | 74.663.2–84.5 | 76.265.5–85.3 | 80.2 |
| 2083 | 74.763.1–84.7 | 76.365.6–85.4 | 80.3 |
| 2084 | 74.863.3–84.8 | 76.565.7–85.9 | 80.3 |
| 2085 | 7563.3–85 | 76.665.9–86 | 80.4 |
| 2086 | 75.163.4–85.2 | 76.765.5–85.9 | 80.5 |
| 2087 | 75.363.5–85.3 | 76.965.7–86.1 | 80.6 |
| 2088 | 75.463.4–85.4 | 7765.6–86.3 | 80.7 |
| 2089 | 75.563.4–85.5 | 77.165.8–86.5 | 80.8 |
| 2090 | 75.763.7–85.8 | 77.365.8–86.8 | 80.9 |
| 2091 | 75.863.9–86 | 77.465.8–86.8 | 81 |
| 2092 | 7664.3–86.4 | 77.565.9–87.1 | 81 |
| 2093 | 76.164.2–86.5 | 77.765.9–87 | 81.1 |
| 2094 | 76.264.2–86.6 | 77.866.1–87.1 | 81.2 |
| 2095 | 76.464–86.9 | 7866.2–87.4 | 81.3 |
| 2096 | 76.564.1–86.9 | 78.166.5–87.5 | 81.4 |
| 2097 | 76.664–87 | 78.266.3–87.6 | 81.5 |
| 2098 | 76.864.3–87.1 | 78.366.4–87.7 | 81.6 |
| 2099 | 76.964–87.2 | 78.566.5–87.9 | 81.7 |
| 2100 | 77.164.1–87.4 | 78.666.6–88.2 | 81.7 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How long a newborn would live on average if the year’s death rates held all its life.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- Before 1950: Our World in Data, long-run life expectancy.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Ghana vs Malawi
Health
- Child mortalityGhana: 3.6 per 100 live births in 2024Malawi: 4.9 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityGhana: 30.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023Malawi: 29.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterGhana: 44.5% in 2022Malawi: 17.8% in 2022
- DepressionGhana: 3.4% in 2017Malawi: 3.45% in 2017
- Suicide rateGhana: 9.7 per 100,000 people in 2017Malawi: 12.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationGhana: 33.8 million people in 2023Malawi: 21.1 million people in 2023
- Population growthGhana: 1.9% a year in 2023Malawi: 2.57% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateGhana: 3.4 births per woman in 2023Malawi: 3.65 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationGhana: 58.9% in 2025Malawi: 17.6% in 2025
- Median ageGhana: 20.9 years in 2023Malawi: 17.6 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overGhana: 3.6% in 2023Malawi: 2.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateGhana: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023Malawi: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingGhana: 0.48% of GDP in 2025Malawi: 1.15% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsGhana: $385M in 2025Malawi: $128M in 2025
- Military spending per personGhana: $15 in 2025Malawi: $7 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingGhana: 2.4% of government spending in 2025Malawi: 3.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelGhana: 16,000 people in 2020Malawi: 15,000 people in 2020
- National powerGhana: 0.17% of world capability in 2022Malawi: 0.07% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersGhana: 0.13% of the labour force in 2020Malawi: 0.2% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsGhana: 5 million TIV in 2025Malawi: 2 million TIV in 2024
- Arms exportsGhana: 19 million TIV in 2005Malawi: 1 million TIV in 2000