Malawi vs Zambia
Malawi vs Zambia: Forest area
Forest area in 2024: 22% in Malawi and 60.5% in Zambia, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Zambia, by 38.5 percentage points, or 2.75 times that in Malawi.
% of land · FAO
What the numbers say
- Zambia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
- In 2024, Malawi ranked 126 and Zambia ranked 31 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of land · FAO
| Year | Malawi | Zambia | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22 | 60.5 | – |
| 2023 | 22.4 | 60.6 | 31.1 |
| 2022 | 22.9 | 60.8 | 31.1 |
| 2021 | 23.3 | 60.9 | 31.2 |
| 2020 | 23.8 | 61 | 31.2 |
| 2019 | 24.2 | 61.1 | 31.2 |
| 2018 | 24.7 | 61.2 | 31.3 |
| 2017 | 25.1 | 61.3 | 31.3 |
| 2016 | 25.6 | 61.4 | 31.3 |
| 2015 | 26 | 61.6 | 31.4 |
| 2014 | 26.5 | 61.8 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 26.9 | 62.1 | 31.4 |
| 2012 | 27.3 | 62.3 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 27.8 | 62.6 | 31.9 |
| 2010 | 28.2 | 62.8 | 32 |
| 2009 | 28.7 | 62.9 | 32 |
| 2008 | 29.1 | 62.9 | 32 |
| 2007 | 29.6 | 63 | 32.1 |
| 2006 | 30 | 63 | 32.1 |
| 2005 | 30.5 | 63.1 | 32.1 |
| 2004 | 30.9 | 63.1 | 32.2 |
| 2003 | 31.4 | 63.2 | 32.3 |
| 2002 | 31.8 | 63.2 | 32.3 |
| 2001 | 32.2 | 63.3 | 32.3 |
| 2000 | 32.7 | 63.3 | 32.4 |
| 1999 | 33.1 | 63.3 | 32.5 |
| 1998 | 33.6 | 63.4 | 32.5 |
| 1997 | 34 | 63.4 | 32.6 |
| 1996 | 34.5 | 63.5 | 32.7 |
| 1995 | 34.9 | 63.5 | 32.7 |
| 1994 | 35.4 | 63.6 | 32.8 |
| 1993 | 35.8 | 63.6 | 32.8 |
| 1992 | 36.3 | 63.7 | 33 |
| 1991 | 36.7 | 63.7 | – |
| 1990 | 37.1 | 63.8 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of land under trees at least 5 metres tall, natural or planted, leaving out orchards and city parks.
- Source: FAO, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 209 countries with a value in 2024, 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
Malawi vs Zambia
Health
- Life expectancyMalawi: 67.4 years in 2023Zambia: 66.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMalawi: 4.9 per 100 live births in 2024Zambia: 4.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMalawi: 29.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023Zambia: 38.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionMalawi: 3.45% in 2017Zambia: 3.64% in 2017
- Suicide rateMalawi: 12.1 per 100,000 people in 2017Zambia: 13.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMalawi: 21.1 million people in 2023Zambia: 20.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthMalawi: 2.57% a year in 2023Zambia: 2.83% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMalawi: 3.65 births per woman in 2023Zambia: 4.1 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMalawi: 17.6% in 2025Zambia: 45.9% in 2025
- Median ageMalawi: 17.6 years in 2023Zambia: 17.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMalawi: 2.6% in 2023Zambia: 1.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateMalawi: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023Zambia: 0.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMalawi: 1.15% of GDP in 2025Zambia: 1.26% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsMalawi: $128M in 2025Zambia: $343M in 2025
- Military spending per personMalawi: $7 in 2025Zambia: $19 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMalawi: 3.8% of government spending in 2025Zambia: 4.5% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelMalawi: 15,000 people in 2020Zambia: 16,000 people in 2020
- National powerMalawi: 0.07% of world capability in 2022Zambia: 0.1% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMalawi: 0.2% of the labour force in 2020Zambia: 0.24% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMalawi: 2 million TIV in 2024Zambia: 1 million TIV in 2024
- Arms exportsMalawi: 1 million TIV in 2000Zambia: 2 million TIV in 1990