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Madagascar vs Rwanda
Side-by-side comparison of Madagascar and Rwanda from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Madagascar
Sub-Saharan Africa · nation age 66 years
In short
Rwanda scores 34.3 in the NationsTree Index (149th in the world) and Madagascar scores 19.7 (189th), a gap of 14.6 points. Their trees are 4.0 m and 4.3 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Madagascar has 2.2 times the population of Rwanda. Madagascar is 22 times larger than Rwanda by land area. Madagascar and Rwanda have economies of similar size (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Madagascar 32.7 million and Rwanda 14.6 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $4,164 in Rwanda and $1,952 in Madagascar (2025, international dollars). People in Rwanda live on average 4.2 years longer (68.0 vs 63.8 years).
Of 34 indicators reported by both countries, Madagascar ranks higher in the world on 11 and Rwanda on 23. Madagascar is clearly stronger in main industries and environment & energy. Rwanda is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, military and infrastructure & digital.
As a nation, Madagascar is the older of the two (statehood since 1960, 66 years), compared with Rwanda (since 1962). Over the last five years Rwanda improved faster (direction score 78 vs 14 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Madagascar and Rwanda.
Madagascar
60%
184th of 193
Rwandabetter
98%
20th of 193
Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI)Infrastructure & digital
Madagascar
1.80
161st of 164
Rwandabetter
2.90
58th of 164
UnemploymentEconomy
Madagascarbetter
3.0%
42nd of 187
Rwanda
11.4%
157th of 187
Renewable freshwater per personNatural resources
Madagascarbetter
11,072
42nd of 183
Rwanda
696
146th of 183
Control of corruptionInstitutions & safety
Madagascar
27.1
171st of 207
Rwandabetter
60.9
55th of 207
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Rwanda overtook Madagascar in the NationsTree Index in 2021 and has stayed ahead since.
Rwanda overtook Madagascar in GDP per person (PPP) in 2013 and has stayed ahead since.
Rwanda overtook Madagascar in life expectancy in 2010 and has stayed ahead since.
Madagascar has been ahead of Rwanda in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
MadagascarRwanda All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Madagascar | Rwanda |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 591,89648th/216 · 2024 | 26,340145th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 581,80044th/216 · 2024 | 23,763146th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 32.7 m49th/217 · 2025 | 14.6 m76th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 2.40%28th/217 · 2025 | 2.17%40th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 54.9150th/216 · 2024 | 599.917th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 32.9%188th/217 · 2025 | 30.9%195th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 38.9%29th/217 · 2025 | 37.0%42nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 3.5%180th/217 · 2025 | 4.0%166th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $19.62 bn135th/210 · 2025 | $16.37 bn141st/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $63.93 bn123rd/199 · 2025 | $60.67 bn128th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $54.63 bn122nd/199 · 2025 | $51.85 bn128th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $599207th/210 · 2025 | $1,124194th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $1,952193rd/199 · 2025 | $4,164175th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $560198th/201 · 2025 | $1,150181st/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.0%115th/210 · 2025 | 9.4%7th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 8.1%151st/180 · 2025 | 5.9%144th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 3.0%42nd/187 · 2025 | 11.4%157th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 48.4%1992 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 47.7%81st/189 · 2025 | 64.7%123rd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -2.1%79th/192 · 2025 | -4.4%140th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 21.7%31st/197 · 2025 | 20.3%35th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 23.9%99th/200 · 2025 | 22.0%113th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 13.1%63rd/192 · 2024 | 8.3%120th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 48.8%151st/200 · 2025 | 52.3%133rd/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $4.19 bn136th/182 · 2025 | $3.53 bn143rd/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $6.46 bn133rd/182 · 2025 | $5.75 bn137th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 21.3%142nd/183 · 2025 | 21.6%139th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 32.9%122nd/183 · 2025 | 35.1%114th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 54.2%136th/183 · 2025 | 56.7%134th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 2.6%92nd/170 · 2024 | 0.1%137th/170 · 2022 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 32.3%88th/171 · 2024 | 10.4%130th/171 · 2022 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 30.5%48th/171 · 2024 | 27.2%54th/171 · 2022 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 32.9%15th/171 · 2024 | 20.9%25th/171 · 2022 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 1.0%148th/168 · 2024 | 4.8%104th/168 · 2022 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -6.0%150th/191 · 2025 | -9.8%170th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 4.5%45th/196 · 2025 | 5.9%36th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 5.5%67th/209 · 2021 | 4.0%81st/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.08%76th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.05%66th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 5.45%13th/209 · 2021 | 3.97%20th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 5.2%136th/206 · 2024 | 48.9%7th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 11,07242nd/183 · 2022 | 696146th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 87,100167th/194 · 2020 | 1.6 m77th/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $202.0 m125th/175 · 2020 | $212.0 m124th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 7.8%69th/168 · 2020 | 11.0%53rd/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 39,0001995 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 63.8196th/217 · 2024 | 68.0167th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 62.4178th/196 · 2024 | 37.7151st/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.17152nd/174 · 2022 | 0.09164th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 0.32014 | 0.8126th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 60%184th/193 · 2024 | 98%20th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 18.4%142nd/153 · 2021 | 18.0%143rd/153 · 2022 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 34.1%167th/173 · 2021 | 48.8%157th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 5.7%2010 | 28.4%2013 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 6.0%179th/217 · 2025 | 6.8%163rd/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 3.4%170th/193 · 2023 | 5.1%123rd/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 74.7%74th/98 · 2021 | 78.8%67th/98 · 2022 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 6.1%146th/150 · 2023 | 9.4%142nd/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.487183rd/193 · 2023 | 0.578159th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 36.871st/108 · 2021 | 39.483rd/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 69.2%105th/108 · 2021 | 38.6%96th/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 42.5%204th/215 · 2024 | 72.0%176th/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 22.1%136th/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 12.8%137th/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 18.7%179th/186 · 2024 | 31.7%167th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 75171st/210 · 2023 | 93154th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.1192nd/208 · 2023 | 0.6177th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 1.80161st/164 · 2022 | 2.9058th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 67373rd/82 · 2021 | — |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 313,313126th/161 · 2023 | 1.5 m87th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.1516th/203 · 2024 | 0.1620th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 83.1%9th/212 · 2022 | 79.9%17th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 12.462nd/200 · 2023 | 36.0171st/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 17.3%140th/214 · 2024 | 26.1%116th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 302143rd/149 · 2024 | 359135th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 34.5174th/205 · 2025 | 59.774th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 27.1171st/207 · 2025 | 60.955th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 43.1160th/207 · 2025 | 60.294th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 56.4155th/207 · 2025 | 67.7105th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 41.2167th/205 · 2025 | 59.976th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 45.8134th/205 · 2025 | 43.7141st/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | — | 3.686th/145 · 2020 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $119.7 m136th/156 · 2025 | $191.2 m129th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.6%137th/156 · 2025 | 1.3%101st/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 3.8%114th/154 · 2025 | 4.7%87th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 22,000100th/170 · 2020 | 35,00084th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.15%156th/168 · 2020 | 0.70%94th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 3.0 m141st/163 · 2025 | 37.0 m70th/163 · 2023 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.01%2017 | 0.78%49th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 3118th/137 · 2024 | 8109th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 153133rd/197 · 2023 | 434107th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Madagascar or Rwanda?
Madagascar has the larger population: 32.7 m (2025) compared with 14.6 m for Rwanda (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Madagascar or Rwanda?
Madagascar is larger: 591,896 km² (2024) compared with 26,340 km² for Rwanda (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Madagascar or Rwanda?
Madagascar has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $63.93 bn intl. (2025) compared with $60.67 bn intl. for Rwanda (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Madagascar or Rwanda?
Rwanda has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $4,164 intl. (2025) compared with $1,952 intl. for Madagascar (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Madagascar or Rwanda?
Rwanda has the higher life expectancy at birth: 68.0 years (2024) compared with 63.8 years for Madagascar (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Madagascar or Rwanda?
Rwanda spends more on the military: $191.2 m (2025) compared with $119.7 m for Madagascar (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Madagascar or Rwanda?
Rwanda: 34.3 points (149th in the world); Madagascar: 19.7 points (189th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Benin
Burkina Faso
Chad
Guinea
Mozambique
Niger
Botswana
GabonSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Madagascar vs Rwanda — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/madagascar-vs-rwanda. Data as of 26 October 2026.