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Malawi vs Namibia
Side-by-side comparison of Malawi and Namibia from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
In short
Malawi scores 31.9 in the NationsTree Index (158th in the world) and Namibia scores 31.8 (159th), a gap of 0.1 points. Their trees are 3.5 m and 3.3 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Malawi has 7.2 times the population of Namibia. Namibia is 7.0 times larger than Malawi by land area. The economy of Malawi is 14% larger than that of Namibia (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Malawi 22.2 million and Namibia 3.1 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $11,986 in Namibia and $1,899 in Malawi (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 67.6 and 67.5 years.
Of 32 indicators reported by both countries, Malawi ranks higher in the world on 7 and Namibia on 25. Malawi is clearly stronger in environment & energy, science & innovation and natural resources. Namibia is clearly stronger in military, trade and infrastructure & digital.
As a nation, Malawi is the older of the two (statehood since 1964, 62 years), compared with Namibia (since 1990). Over the last five years Malawi improved faster (direction score 80 vs 16 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Malawi and Namibia.
Malawibetter
5.1%
89th of 187
Namibia
19.3%
180th of 187
Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI)Infrastructure & digital
Malawi
2.18
141st of 164
Namibiabetter
2.80
63rd of 164
Completed lower secondary, 25+Society & health
Malawi
18.8%
141st of 153
Namibiabetter
76.8%
78th of 153
InflationEconomy
Malawi
28.4%
172nd of 180
Namibiabetter
3.5%
102nd of 180
DPT immunizationSociety & health
Malawibetter
91%
93rd of 193
Namibia
74%
160th of 193
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Malawi overtook Namibia in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Malawi overtook Namibia in life expectancy in 2024, the latest year with data.
Malawi overtook Namibia in GDP (PPP) in 2019 and has stayed ahead since.
Namibia has been ahead of Malawi in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Malawi has been ahead of Namibia in 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
MalawiNamibia 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 | Namibia |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 118,484101st/216 · 2024 | 824,29233rd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 94,280108th/216 · 2024 | 823,29033rd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 22.2 m60th/217 · 2025 | 3.1 m136th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 2.56%23rd/217 · 2025 | 2.05%46th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 229.761st/216 · 2024 | 3.7213th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 17.6%214th/217 · 2025 | 50.9%154th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 40.1%25th/217 · 2025 | 36.7%44th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 2.6%207th/217 · 2025 | 3.8%171st/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $14.92 bn147th/210 · 2025 | $15.08 bn145th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $42.19 bn138th/199 · 2025 | $37.07 bn144th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $36.06 bn139th/199 · 2025 | $31.68 bn144th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $672204th/210 · 2025 | $4,876141st/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $1,899195th/199 · 2025 | $11,986134th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $600196th/201 · 2025 | $4,340137th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 1.9%148th/210 · 2025 | 1.7%157th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 28.4%172nd/180 · 2025 | 3.5%102nd/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 5.1%89th/187 · 2025 | 19.3%180th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 61.8%31st/55 · 2023 | 4.7%2015 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 96.6%163rd/189 · 2025 | 67.5%132nd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -10.2%181st/192 · 2025 | -5.9%163rd/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 30.0%12th/197 · 2025 | 7.0%91st/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 14.3%165th/200 · 2025 | 28.9%59th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 11.0%89th/192 · 2024 | 10.0%99th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 48.7%153rd/200 · 2025 | 55.0%120th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $1.59 bn154th/182 · 2025 | $6.74 bn120th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $4.29 bn144th/182 · 2025 | $9.64 bn120th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 10.6%174th/183 · 2025 | 44.7%64th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 28.8%137th/183 · 2025 | 63.9%49th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 39.4%162nd/183 · 2025 | 108.6%50th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.0%151st/170 · 2025 | 1.3%114th/170 · 2024 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 5.1%152nd/171 · 2025 | 18.4%108th/171 · 2024 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 93.3%5th/171 · 2025 | 28.0%53rd/171 · 2024 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.6%152nd/171 · 2025 | 32.3%17th/171 · 2024 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 1.6%137th/168 · 2024 | 0.1%160th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -13.8%175th/191 · 2025 | -13.1%173rd/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 3.6%60th/196 · 2025 | 9.6%22nd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 4.2%79th/209 · 2021 | 4.0%80th/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 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.01%87th/209 · 2021 | 3.17%31st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 4.20%19th/209 · 2021 | 0.86%57th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 42.4%12th/206 · 2024 | 1.0%183rd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 785140th/183 · 2022 | 2,132104th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 871,000104th/194 · 2018 | 187,100153rd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $35.0 m160th/175 · 2020 | $155.0 m134th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 2.7%115th/168 · 2020 | 4.0%91st/168 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 67.6171st/217 · 2024 | 67.5172nd/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 48.8167th/196 · 2024 | 39.5159th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.05172nd/174 · 2022 | 0.55120th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.32011 | 2.72009 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 91%93rd/193 · 2024 | 74%160th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 18.8%141st/153 · 2020 | 76.8%78th/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 36.6%166th/173 · 2023 | 82.0%124th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 38.3%36th/55 · 2019 | 43.7%2015 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 4.5%206th/217 · 2025 | 6.4%169th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 6.5%96th/193 · 2023 | 9.5%35th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 70.2%80th/98 · 2020 | 87.6%59th/98 · 2023 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 2.7%149th/150 · 2022 | 26.1%110th/150 · 2022 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.517172nd/193 · 2023 | 0.665136th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 38.52019 | 59.12015 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 75.4%2019 | 22.9%2015 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 15.6%213th/215 · 2024 | 59.3%188th/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 | 64.9%134th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 69183rd/210 · 2024 | 85164th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.1196th/208 · 2024 | 2.8153rd/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.18141st/164 · 2018 | 2.8063rd/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 7972007 | — |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 3,507156th/161 · 2023 | 60,304141st/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.2225th/203 · 2024 | 1.2069th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 62.9%33rd/212 · 2022 | 30.0%80th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 16.797th/200 · 2023 | 14.277th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 22.0%127th/214 · 2024 | 9.8%168th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | — | 677111th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 40.0150th/205 · 2025 | 54.4102nd/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 34.7143rd/207 · 2025 | 51.083rd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 56.4107th/207 · 2025 | 64.879th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 62.7128th/207 · 2025 | 78.664th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 45.4142nd/205 · 2025 | 56.786th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 57.6103rd/205 · 2025 | 64.681st/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.82012 | 11.2117th/145 · 2021 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $162.8 m132nd/156 · 2025 | $410.5 m110th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.1%106th/156 · 2025 | 2.8%35th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 3.8%112th/154 · 2025 | 7.0%49th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 15,000117th/170 · 2020 | 16,000113th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.20%154th/168 · 2020 | 1.67%36th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 2.0 m144th/163 · 2024 | 0158th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.0 m2000 | — |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.18%2019 | 0.65%55th/110 · 2022 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 32016 | 1126th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 378111th/197 · 2023 | 231124th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Malawi or Namibia?
Malawi has the larger population: 22.2 m (2025) compared with 3.1 m for Namibia (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Malawi or Namibia?
Namibia is larger: 824,292 km² (2024) compared with 118,484 km² for Malawi (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Malawi or Namibia?
Malawi has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $42.19 bn intl. (2025) compared with $37.07 bn intl. for Namibia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Malawi or Namibia?
Namibia has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $11,986 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 Namibia?
Malawi has the higher life expectancy at birth: 67.6 years (2024) compared with 67.5 years for Namibia (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Malawi or Namibia?
Namibia spends more on the military: $410.5 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 Namibia?
Malawi: 31.9 points (158th in the world); Namibia: 31.8 points (159th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Congo
Mauritania
Mauritius
Equatorial Guinea
Sierra Leone
Somalia, Fed. Rep.
TogoSources
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 Namibia — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/malawi-vs-namibia. Data as of 26 October 2026.