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Malawi vs Mauritania
Side-by-side comparison of Malawi and Mauritania from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Mauritania
Sub-Saharan Africa · nation age 66 years
In short
Malawi scores 31.9 in the NationsTree Index (158th in the world) and Mauritania scores 31.0 (162nd), a gap of 0.8 points. Their trees are 3.5 m and 3.4 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Malawi has 4.2 times the population of Mauritania. Mauritania is 8.7 times larger than Malawi by land area. Malawi and Mauritania have economies of similar size (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Malawi 22.2 million and Mauritania 5.3 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $7,676 in Mauritania and $1,899 in Malawi (2025, international dollars). People in Mauritania live on average 1.2 years longer (68.7 vs 67.6 years).
Of 29 indicators reported by both countries, Malawi ranks higher in the world on 14 and Mauritania on 15. Malawi is clearly stronger in environment & energy, tourism and science & innovation. Mauritania is clearly stronger in military, trade and economy.
As a nation, Mauritania is the older of the two (statehood since 1960, 66 years), compared with Malawi (since 1964). Over the last five years Malawi improved faster (direction score 80 vs 72 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Malawi and Mauritania.
Malawi
-10.2%
181st of 192
Mauritaniabetter
-0.3%
42nd of 192
InflationEconomy
Malawi
28.4%
172nd of 180
Mauritaniabetter
1.5%
51st of 180
Air pollution (PM2.5)Environment & energy
Malawibetter
16.7
97th of 200
Mauritania
46.5
185th of 200
High-tech exportsTrade
Malawi
1.6%
137th of 168
Mauritaniabetter
9.4%
68th of 168
Renewable energyEnvironment & energy
Malawibetter
62.9%
33rd of 212
Mauritania
19.6%
108th of 212
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Malawi overtook Mauritania in the NationsTree Index in 2021 and has stayed ahead since.
Mauritania has been ahead of Malawi in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Malawi has been ahead of Mauritania 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
MalawiMauritania 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 | Malawi | Mauritania |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 118,484101st/216 · 2024 | 1,030,70028th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 94,280108th/216 · 2024 | 1,030,70028th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 22.2 m60th/217 · 2025 | 5.3 m125th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 2.56%23rd/217 · 2025 | 2.78%18th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 229.761st/216 · 2024 | 5.0206th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 17.6%214th/217 · 2025 | 61.5%123rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 40.1%25th/217 · 2025 | 42.4%12th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 2.6%207th/217 · 2025 | 3.2%186th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $14.92 bn147th/210 · 2025 | $11.68 bn153rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $42.19 bn138th/199 · 2025 | $40.80 bn141st/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $36.06 bn139th/199 · 2025 | $34.86 bn141st/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $672204th/210 · 2025 | $2,198173rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $1,899195th/199 · 2025 | $7,676152nd/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $600196th/201 · 2025 | $2,210161st/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 1.9%148th/210 · 2025 | 4.0%77th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 28.4%172nd/180 · 2025 | 1.5%51st/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 5.1%89th/187 · 2025 | 10.3%150th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 61.8%31st/55 · 2023 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 96.6%163rd/189 · 2025 | 40.4%62nd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -10.2%181st/192 · 2025 | -0.3%42nd/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 30.0%12th/197 · 2025 | 20.0%37th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 14.3%165th/200 · 2025 | 29.7%54th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 11.0%89th/192 · 2024 | 4.6%157th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 48.7%153rd/200 · 2025 | 42.4%176th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $1.59 bn154th/182 · 2025 | $4.65 bn133rd/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $4.29 bn144th/182 · 2025 | $6.33 bn134th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 10.6%174th/183 · 2025 | 39.9%83rd/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 28.8%137th/183 · 2025 | 54.2%65th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 39.4%162nd/183 · 2025 | 94.0%71st/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.0%151st/170 · 2025 | 0.5%128th/170 · 2024 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 5.1%152nd/171 · 2025 | 0.5%167th/171 · 2024 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 93.3%5th/171 · 2025 | 25.5%55th/171 · 2024 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.6%152nd/171 · 2025 | 33.7%14th/171 · 2024 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 1.6%137th/168 · 2024 | 9.4%68th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -13.8%175th/191 · 2025 | -5.8%148th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 3.6%60th/196 · 2025 | 5.4%39th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 4.2%79th/209 · 2021 | 11.4%42nd/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.02%45th/195 · 2021 | 0.67%10th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.01%87th/209 · 2021 | 9.59%12th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 4.20%19th/209 · 2021 | 1.19%48th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 42.4%12th/206 · 2024 | 0.4%198th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 785140th/183 · 2022 | 82172nd/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 871,000104th/194 · 2018 | 30,0002000 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $35.0 m160th/175 · 2020 | $6.4 m171st/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 2.7%115th/168 · 2020 | 0.2%164th/168 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 67.6171st/217 · 2024 | 68.7164th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 48.8167th/196 · 2024 | 36.9148th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.05172nd/174 · 2022 | 0.26137th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.32011 | 0.42006 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 91%93rd/193 · 2024 | 86%125th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 18.8%141st/153 · 2020 | 18.4%2015 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 36.6%166th/173 · 2023 | 36.0%2020 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 38.3%36th/55 · 2019 | 45.2%2014 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 4.5%206th/217 · 2025 | 6.0%181st/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 6.5%96th/193 · 2023 | 4.3%146th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 70.2%80th/98 · 2020 | 59.5%88th/98 · 2020 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 2.7%149th/150 · 2022 | 6.0%2020 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.517172nd/193 · 2023 | 0.563163rd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 38.52019 | 32.02019 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 75.4%2019 | 10.2%2019 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 15.6%213th/215 · 2024 | 52.2%200th/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 18.2%140th/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 46.2%88th/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 19.0%177th/186 · 2024 | 45.8%153rd/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 69183rd/210 · 2024 | 92156th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.1196th/208 · 2024 | 0.9170th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.18141st/164 · 2018 | 2.00148th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 7972007 | 72870th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 3,507156th/161 · 2023 | 328,992123rd/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.2225th/203 · 2024 | 0.9763rd/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 62.9%33rd/212 · 2022 | 19.6%108th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 16.797th/200 · 2023 | 46.5185th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 22.0%127th/214 · 2024 | 1.0%198th/214 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 40.0150th/205 · 2025 | 36.9160th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 34.7143rd/207 · 2025 | 29.0165th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 56.4107th/207 · 2025 | 45.3152nd/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 62.7128th/207 · 2025 | 54.1165th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 45.4142nd/205 · 2025 | 43.1153rd/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 57.6103rd/205 · 2025 | 41.2147th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.82012 | 1.043rd/145 · 2020 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $162.8 m132nd/156 · 2025 | $321.8 m115th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.1%106th/156 · 2025 | 2.7%37th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 3.8%112th/154 · 2025 | 10.8%27th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 15,000117th/170 · 2020 | 21,000104th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.20%154th/168 · 2020 | 2.00%27th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 2.0 m144th/163 · 2024 | 126.0 m45th/163 · 2024 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.0 m2000 | — |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.18%2019 | 0.01%2018 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 32016 | — |
| Scientific articles articles | 378111th/197 · 2023 | 47156th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Malawi or Mauritania?
Malawi has the larger population: 22.2 m (2025) compared with 5.3 m for Mauritania (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Malawi or Mauritania?
Mauritania is larger: 1,030,700 km² (2024) compared with 118,484 km² for Malawi (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Malawi or Mauritania?
Malawi has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $42.19 bn intl. (2025) compared with $40.80 bn intl. for Mauritania (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Malawi or Mauritania?
Mauritania has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $7,676 intl. (2025) compared with $1,899 intl. for Malawi (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Malawi or Mauritania?
Mauritania has the higher life expectancy at birth: 68.7 years (2024) compared with 67.6 years for Malawi (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Malawi or Mauritania?
Mauritania spends more on the military: $321.8 m (2025) compared with $162.8 m for Malawi (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Malawi or Mauritania?
Malawi: 31.9 points (158th in the world); Mauritania: 31.0 points (162nd). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Congo
Mauritius
NamibiaSources
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). Malawi vs Mauritania — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/malawi-vs-mauritania. Data as of 26 October 2026.