Malawi vs South Africa
Malawi vs South Africa: Net migration rate
Net migration rate in 2023: -0.3 per 1,000 people in Malawi and 3.6 per 1,000 people in South Africa, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in South Africa, by 3.9 per 1,000 people.
per 1,000 people · UN
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 2017, when it overtook Malawi.
- In 2023, Malawi ranked 129 and South Africa ranked 51 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Malawi at 0.4 per 1,000 people and South Africa at 2.1 per 1,000 people in 2100.
Every year
per 1,000 people · UN
| Year | Malawi | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -0.3 | 3.6 |
| 2022 | -0.3 | 3.7 |
| 2021 | -0.1 | 7.5 |
| 2020 | -0.1 | 6.1 |
| 2019 | -0.1 | 5.6 |
| 2018 | -0.2 | 5.4 |
| 2017 | 0.1 | 6 |
| 2016 | 0.2 | -15.4 |
| 2015 | -0.4 | 11.3 |
| 2014 | -0.6 | 4.9 |
| 2013 | -0.8 | 4.2 |
| 2012 | -0.9 | 4.9 |
| 2011 | -0.8 | 1.2 |
| 2010 | -0.6 | 1.3 |
| 2009 | -0.6 | 0.8 |
| 2008 | -0.7 | 0.7 |
| 2007 | -1.7 | 0.7 |
| 2006 | -2.2 | 0.7 |
| 2005 | -2.5 | 0.6 |
| 2004 | -2.6 | 1.2 |
| 2003 | -2.6 | 1.4 |
| 2002 | -2.5 | 1 |
| 2001 | -2.5 | -1.3 |
| 2000 | -2.5 | -2.9 |
| 1999 | -2.9 | -2.7 |
| 1998 | -3.7 | -1.8 |
| 1997 | -5.8 | -2.2 |
| 1996 | -6.4 | -4.3 |
| 1995 | -6.5 | -2.2 |
| 1994 | -49.7 | -6.1 |
| 1993 | -27.7 | 4.5 |
| 1992 | 3.7 | -1.7 |
| 1991 | 1.6 | -0.9 |
| 1990 | 7.4 | 6.4 |
| 1989 | 19.6 | 6.5 |
| 1988 | 23 | 6.4 |
| 1987 | 32.8 | 6.2 |
| 1986 | 7.9 | 6.5 |
| 1985 | 9.8 | 7 |
| 1984 | 9.9 | 8.6 |
| 1983 | 9.7 | 9.5 |
| 1982 | 9.2 | 9.3 |
| 1981 | 8.8 | 9.2 |
| 1980 | 8.3 | 8.7 |
| 1979 | 7.7 | 2 |
| 1978 | 6.2 | 2.2 |
| 1977 | 3.5 | 2.4 |
| 1976 | 1.5 | 1 |
| 1975 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 1974 | 0.7 | 1.5 |
| 1973 | 0.3 | 1.7 |
| 1972 | 0 | 1.6 |
| 1971 | -0.1 | 1.4 |
| 1970 | -0.5 | 2.8 |
| 1969 | -0.5 | 3.4 |
| 1968 | -0.2 | 3.8 |
| 1967 | 0 | 4 |
| 1966 | 0 | 3.9 |
| 1965 | 0 | 4.3 |
| 1964 | 0 | 4.1 |
| 1963 | 0 | 4.1 |
| 1962 | 0 | 4 |
| 1961 | 0 | 3.4 |
| 1960 | 0 | 1.1 |
| 1959 | 0 | 0.3 |
| 1958 | 0 | -0.9 |
| 1957 | 0 | -0.2 |
| 1956 | 0 | -0.1 |
| 1955 | 0 | -0.2 |
| 1954 | 0 | -0.2 |
| 1953 | 0 | -0.4 |
| 1952 | 0 | 0.3 |
| 1951 | 0 | 0.6 |
| 1950 | 0 | 0.7 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Malawi | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -0.1-15.2–13.2 | 2.6-5.3–9.8 |
| 2025 | -0.3-18.3–15.6 | 2.3-5.9–10.1 |
| 2026 | 0.1-19.1–17.4 | 2-6.3–9.5 |
| 2027 | 0.1-18.6–18.8 | 2.2-5.5–10.2 |
| 2028 | 0-20.6–18.5 | 2.3-5.9–10.5 |
| 2029 | 0.4-20.6–20.1 | 2.3-6.3–10.1 |
| 2030 | 0.2-19.7–19.7 | 2.1-5.9–10.6 |
| 2031 | -0.2-20.7–18.9 | 2.2-5.9–10.6 |
| 2032 | -0.1-19.7–18.6 | 2.2-6.3–10.3 |
| 2033 | 0.2-20.6–18.7 | 2.1-6–10.1 |
| 2034 | 0.1-19.1–18.9 | 2.2-6.5–10.3 |
| 2035 | 0.2-19.9–18.6 | 2.3-6.1–10.4 |
| 2036 | 0.2-19–19.3 | 2.2-6.2–9.6 |
| 2037 | 0.4-20–20.3 | 2.3-6–9.9 |
| 2038 | -0.3-20.8–18.6 | 2.1-5.8–10.1 |
| 2039 | -0.2-20.8–18.7 | 2-6.4–10.2 |
| 2040 | -0.2-20.6–18.8 | 2.1-6.3–10.2 |
| 2041 | -0.2-21.7–18.4 | 2.2-6.5–10.5 |
| 2042 | -0.3-21.9–20.2 | 2.2-6.4–10.9 |
| 2043 | -0.2-22.3–19.3 | 2.1-6–10.5 |
| 2044 | 0.3-20.1–19.1 | 2.1-6–10.4 |
| 2045 | -0.1-21.3–17.6 | 2.1-7–10.3 |
| 2046 | 0-20.7–18.4 | 2.3-5.5–10.9 |
| 2047 | 0-20.1–18.4 | 2.3-6.2–10.6 |
| 2048 | -0.4-19.9–18.1 | 2.1-5.9–10.4 |
| 2049 | -0-19.5–19.3 | 2.3-5.7–10.5 |
| 2050 | -0-19.2–17.9 | 2.3-6.2–11.1 |
| 2051 | 0.2-19–18.9 | 2.5-5.5–10.9 |
| 2052 | 0.2-20.2–18.9 | 2.2-5.9–10.8 |
| 2053 | 0.4-19.9–19 | 2.2-6.4–10.3 |
| 2054 | -0.2-20.7–18.8 | 2.3-6.1–10.2 |
| 2055 | 0.2-21–19.2 | 2.3-6.2–10.5 |
| 2056 | -0.2-19.5–18.6 | 2.2-5.9–10.1 |
| 2057 | -0-20.6–20.1 | 2.3-6.6–10.3 |
| 2058 | -0.2-20.8–18.4 | 2.4-6.3–11.1 |
| 2059 | 0.4-20.5–19 | 2.3-6.6–11 |
| 2060 | -0-19.6–17.9 | 2.3-5.8–10.3 |
| 2061 | 0-20.9–18.8 | 2.2-6.5–10.5 |
| 2062 | -0.3-22.1–17.7 | 2.3-6.2–10.3 |
| 2063 | -0.6-21.9–16.9 | 2.4-6.5–10.8 |
| 2064 | -0.3-21–17.9 | 2.3-6.5–10.6 |
| 2065 | -0.2-20–18.5 | 2.1-6.6–10.5 |
| 2066 | -0-20.6–19.5 | 2.2-6.1–10.5 |
| 2067 | -0.1-22.9–18 | 2.2-6.2–10.3 |
| 2068 | -0-22.5–17.9 | 2.1-6–10.4 |
| 2069 | -0.2-21.7–18.9 | 2.2-6.5–10.4 |
| 2070 | -0.2-21.5–17.8 | 2.5-5.9–11.1 |
| 2071 | -0.1-21.7–17.6 | 2.5-5.8–10.5 |
| 2072 | -0.4-21.2–18.2 | 2.1-6.6–10 |
| 2073 | -0.3-22.1–18.5 | 2.1-5.9–10 |
| 2074 | -0.1-21.3–17.5 | 2.2-6.9–11.1 |
| 2075 | 0.1-20.9–19.6 | 2.1-5.9–10.5 |
| 2076 | 0.4-20.3–19.1 | 2-6.7–9.9 |
| 2077 | 0.4-21.5–19.4 | 2.2-6.4–10.5 |
| 2078 | -0.1-22–17.9 | 2.3-5.9–10.5 |
| 2079 | 0.1-22.1–18.5 | 2.2-6.5–11 |
| 2080 | 0.2-23.1–19.1 | 2.3-6.8–10.5 |
| 2081 | 0.2-21.9–18.5 | 2.2-6.1–10.6 |
| 2082 | 0.1-22.4–18.9 | 2.2-6.4–10.3 |
| 2083 | 0.2-22.5–17.2 | 2.2-6.2–10.3 |
| 2084 | -0.4-23.5–17.9 | 2-6.5–10.6 |
| 2085 | -0.1-23–18.1 | 1.9-6.8–9.6 |
| 2086 | -0.2-21.5–18.7 | 2.1-6.3–10.8 |
| 2087 | -0.1-23.2–17.7 | 2.1-6.5–10.4 |
| 2088 | 0.1-22–17.9 | 2.1-6.6–9.9 |
| 2089 | -0.1-23.8–18.3 | 2.1-6.6–10.5 |
| 2090 | -0-23–18.5 | 2-7.1–10.2 |
| 2091 | -0.2-21.8–18.3 | 2.2-6.4–10.8 |
| 2092 | -0.1-21.7–19.2 | 2-6.9–10.4 |
| 2093 | -0.2-22.7–18 | 2-7.9–10.4 |
| 2094 | -0.2-23.2–18.9 | 2-7.1–10.4 |
| 2095 | -0.3-24.4–17.8 | 1.9-6.5–10.1 |
| 2096 | 0.1-24–19.4 | 1.8-6.6–10.1 |
| 2097 | -0.1-23.5–20.2 | 1.8-7.4–10.4 |
| 2098 | 0.2-23.5–19.3 | 2-6.5–10.1 |
| 2099 | 0.4-23.8–19 | 2-5.7–11 |
| 2100 | 0.4-23.2–19.1 | 2.1-6.2–10.8 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- People moving in minus people moving out in a year, per 1,000 residents; below zero, more left than arrived.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- 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.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Malawi vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyMalawi: 67.4 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMalawi: 4.9 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMalawi: 29.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionMalawi: 3.45% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateMalawi: 12.1 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMalawi: 21.1 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthMalawi: 2.57% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMalawi: 3.65 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMalawi: 17.6% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageMalawi: 17.6 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMalawi: 2.6% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMalawi: 1.15% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsMalawi: $128M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personMalawi: $7 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMalawi: 3.8% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelMalawi: 15,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerMalawi: 0.07% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMalawi: 0.2% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMalawi: 2 million TIV in 2024South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsMalawi: 1 million TIV in 2000South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025