Malawi vs Zambia
Malawi vs Zambia: GDP per person
GDP per person in 2025: $548 in Malawi and $1,356 in Zambia, by World Bank estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Zambia, by $808, or 2.47 times that in Malawi.
US dollars at 2015 prices · World Bank
What the numbers say
- Zambia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1960.
- In 2025, Malawi ranked 182 and Zambia ranked 159 of 186 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: $12,130 in 2025.
Every year
US dollars at 2015 prices · World Bank
| Year | Malawi | Zambia | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $548 | $1,356 | $12,130 |
| 2024 | $552 | $1,343 | $11,890 |
| 2023 | $557 | $1,331 | $11,670 |
| 2022 | $561 | $1,299 | $11,450 |
| 2021 | $570 | $1,269 | $11,170 |
| 2020 | $559 | $1,229 | $10,580 |
| 2019 | $570 | $1,301 | $11,000 |
| 2018 | $554 | $1,321 | $10,820 |
| 2017 | $545 | $1,309 | $10,590 |
| 2016 | $538 | $1,304 | $10,360 |
| 2015 | $540 | $1,296 | $10,190 |
| 2014 | $540 | $1,299 | $10,000 |
| 2013 | $525 | $1,281 | $9,811 |
| 2012 | $513 | $1,259 | $9,654 |
| 2011 | $518 | $1,208 | $9,515 |
| 2010 | $508 | $1,183 | $9,322 |
| 2009 | $490 | $1,111 | $9,028 |
| 2008 | $466 | $1,054 | $9,266 |
| 2007 | $445 | $1,013 | $9,191 |
| 2006 | $418 | $969 | $8,913 |
| 2005 | $410 | $929 | $8,639 |
| 2004 | $408 | $896 | $8,409 |
| 2003 | $397 | $864 | $8,151 |
| 2002 | $385 | $833 | $8,011 |
| 2001 | $388 | $822 | $7,932 |
| 2000 | $419 | $805 | $7,880 |
| 1999 | $422 | $796 | $7,639 |
| 1998 | $419 | $782 | $7,479 |
| 1997 | $412 | $806 | $7,382 |
| 1996 | $405 | $796 | $7,203 |
| 1995 | $385 | $768 | $7,058 |
| 1994 | $330 | $765 | $6,944 |
| 1993 | $363 | $857 | $6,819 |
| 1992 | $336 | $822 | $6,801 |
| 1991 | $373 | $857 | $6,773 |
| 1990 | $354 | $879 | $6,804 |
| 1989 | $348 | $906 | $6,741 |
| 1988 | $360 | $940 | $6,620 |
| 1987 | $369 | $909 | $6,446 |
| 1986 | $380 | $911 | $6,326 |
| 1985 | $395 | $932 | $6,233 |
| 1984 | $393 | $945 | $6,120 |
| 1983 | $388 | $978 | $5,947 |
| 1982 | $389 | $1,030 | $5,903 |
| 1981 | $395 | $1,094 | $5,986 |
| 1980 | $434 | $1,063 | $5,980 |
| 1979 | $449 | $1,063 | $5,978 |
| 1978 | $446 | $1,129 | $5,843 |
| 1977 | $421 | $1,158 | $5,710 |
| 1976 | $413 | $1,251 | $5,591 |
| 1975 | $405 | $1,214 | $5,410 |
| 1974 | $393 | $1,280 | $5,467 |
| 1973 | $377 | $1,238 | $5,465 |
| 1972 | $378 | $1,287 | $5,236 |
| 1971 | $365 | $1,212 | $5,061 |
| 1970 | $322 | $1,247 | $4,964 |
| 1969 | $329 | $1,225 | $4,885 |
| 1968 | $318 | $1,270 | $4,707 |
| 1967 | $332 | $1,296 | $4,535 |
| 1966 | $318 | $1,240 | $4,461 |
| 1965 | $287 | $1,355 | $4,321 |
| 1964 | $259 | $1,199 | $4,176 |
| 1963 | $259 | $1,103 | $3,999 |
| 1962 | $269 | $1,102 | $3,889 |
| 1961 | $274 | $1,167 | $3,759 |
| 1960 | $260 | $1,188 | $3,667 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The value of everything produced in the country in a year, divided by its people, in 2015 US dollars so that years compare.
- Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators.
- Ranks count the 186 countries with a value in 2025, 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