https://www.humantruth.info/malawi.html
By Vexen Crabtree 2013
Malawi Republic of Malawi | ![]() |
---|---|
Status | Independent State |
Social and Moral Index | 157th best |
Capital | Lilongwe |
Land Area | 94 280km21 |
Location | Africa |
Population | 18.1m2 |
Life Expectancy | 62.90yrs (2017)3 |
GNI | $1 466 (2017)4 |
ISO3166-1 Codes | MW, MWI, 4545 |
Internet Domain | .mw6 |
Currency | Kwacha (MWK)7 |
Telephone | +2658 |
“Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term, struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor and subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2005. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in May 2009. As president, he oversaw some economic improvement in his first term, but was accused of economic mismanagement and poor governance in his second term. He died abruptly in April 2012 and was succeeded by his vice president, Joyce BANDA. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)9
“Malawi is firmly back on the map with restocked parks throughout the country, reintroduced lions, world-class safari lodges and excellent tour operators. Malawi has been historically overlooked in the table of epic safari destinations. That was until Majete Wildlife Reserve was thoroughly restocked and a lion reintroduction program began there in 2012. The country now has its `Big Five´ again, added to which are new world-class boutique hotels and luxury safari lodges; it´s easy to see then why travel editors are salivating over Africa´s next big destination.
Slicing through the landscape in a trough formed by the Great Rift Valley is Lake Malawi; a shimmering mass of glittering water swarming with colourful cichlid fish. Whether it´s diving, snorkelling, kayaking or chilling on its desert islands, the lake is unforgettable.
In Malawi´s deep south are the dramatic peaks of Mt Mulanje and Zomba Plateau; both are a trekker´s dream, with mist-cowled forests. Head further north and you´ll witness the beauty of Nyika Plateau, its grasslands reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands. In short, there´s something for everyone here.”
#economics #human_development #wealth
UN HDI (2021)11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better Value11 | |
1 | Switzerland | 0.962 |
2 | Norway | 0.961 |
3 | Iceland | 0.959 |
... | ||
166= | Benin | 0.525 |
166= | Uganda | 0.525 |
168 | Lesotho | 0.514 |
169 | Malawi | 0.512 |
170 | Senegal | 0.511 |
171 | Djibouti | 0.509 |
172 | Sudan | 0.508 |
173 | Madagascar | 0.501 |
Africa Avg | 0.56 | |
World Avg | 0.72 | |
q=191. |
Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better PPP $11 | |
1 | Liechtenstein | $146 830 |
2 | Singapore | $90 919 |
3 | Qatar | $87 134 |
... | ||
180 | Eritrea | $1 729 |
181 | Sierra Leone | $1 622 |
182 | Madagascar | $1 484 |
183 | Malawi | $1 466 |
184 | Chad | $1 364 |
185 | Yemen | $1 314 |
186 | Liberia | $1 289 |
187 | Niger | $1 240 |
Africa Avg | $5 339 | |
World Avg | $20 136 | |
q=193. |
Social & Moral Development Index12 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank12 | |
1 | Denmark | 27.0 |
2 | Norway | 29.9 |
3 | Sweden | 31.8 |
... | ||
154 | Micronesia | 112.3 |
155 | Somaliland | 112.4 |
156 | Togo | 112.4 |
157 | Malawi | 112.7 |
158 | Libya | 112.9 |
159 | Mali | 113.5 |
160 | Ethiopia | 114.5 |
161 | Cameroon | 114.6 |
Africa Avg | 119.0 | |
World Avg | 88.6 | |
q=199. |
The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..
The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.
#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen
Population:
Malawi's population is predicted to rise to 28.17 million by 2030. These millions of extra people will all need space to live, food to eat, energy to consume, and will increase the burden on the planet's resources. This country has a fertility rate of 3.85. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.13Population2 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2018 Population2 | |
1 | China | 1.4b |
2 | India | 1.4b |
3 | USA | 327.1m |
... | ||
60 | Mali | 19.1m |
61 | Chile | 18.7m |
62 | Kazakhstan | 18.3m |
63 | Malawi | 18.1m |
64 | Zambia | 17.4m |
65 | Guatemala | 17.2m |
66 | Ecuador | 17.1m |
67 | Netherlands | 17.1m |
World Avg | 39.0m | |
q=195. |
Life Expectancy Higher is better11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years11 | |
1 | Monaco | 85.9 |
2 | Hong Kong | 85.5 |
3 | Japan | 84.8 |
... | ||
159 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 63.5 |
160 | Comoros | 63.4 |
161 | Haiti | 63.2 |
162 | Malawi | 62.9 |
163 | Uganda | 62.7 |
164 | S. Africa | 62.3 |
165 | Djibouti | 62.3 |
166 | Gambia | 62.1 |
World Avg | 71.28 | |
q=195. |
Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202214 | |
1 | US Virgin Islands | 2.00 |
2 | Ecuador | 2.00 |
3 | Nepal | 2.01 |
... | ||
171 | Sao Tome & Principe | 3.75 |
172 | Eritrea | 3.79 |
173 | Madagascar | 3.79 |
174 | Malawi | 3.85 |
175 | Samoa | 3.88 |
176 | Sierra Leone | 3.88 |
177 | Comoros | 3.91 |
178= | Solomon Islands | 3.93 |
World Avg | 2.47 | |
q=208. |
Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better15 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 Per 10015 | |
1 | Uganda | 04.3 |
2 | Mali | 04.5 |
3= | Chad | 04.7 |
... | ||
14 | Somalia | 05.4 |
15= | Togo | 05.4 |
16 | Ivory Coast | 05.6 |
17= | Malawi | 05.6 |
17= | Senegal | 05.6 |
19 | Yemen | 05.7 |
20= | Cameroon | 05.8 |
20= | Niger | 05.8 |
World Avg | 18.3 | |
q=185. |
Migration:
Immigrants16 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 %16 | |
1 | UAE | 88.4% |
2 | Kuwait | 75.5% |
3 | Qatar | 65.2% |
... | ||
144 | Yemen | 1.4% |
145 | Bolivia | 1.3% |
146 | Tuvalu | 1.3% |
147 | Malawi | 1.3% |
148 | Sierra Leone | 1.3% |
149 | Guinea-Bissau | 1.3% |
150 | Vanuatu | 1.2% |
151 | Ethiopia | 1.2% |
World Avg | 9.4% | |
q=195. |
Emigrants17 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2010 %17 | |
1 | Dominica | 104.8% |
2 | Palestine | 68.4% |
3 | Samoa | 67.3% |
... | ||
164 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 1.4% |
165 | Zambia | 1.4% |
166 | Cameroon | 1.4% |
167 | Malawi | 1.4% |
168 | Congo, DR | 1.3% |
169 | N. Korea | 1.3% |
170 | Thailand | 1.2% |
171 | UAE | 1.2% |
World Avg | 11.5% | |
q=192. |
#equality #freedom #freethought #gender #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #malawi #mass_media #misogyny #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #slavery #tolerance #women
Compared to Africa (2025)18 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank18 | |
1 | Mauritius | 63.7 |
2 | S. Africa | 64.3 |
3 | Cape Verde | 68.0 |
... | ||
30 | Egypt | 118.4 |
31 | Liberia | 119.5 |
32 | Algeria | 119.6 |
33 | Malawi | 122.0 |
34 | Togo | 125.1 |
35 | Comoros | 126.8 |
36 | Guinea-Bissau | 127.3 |
37 | Zimbabwe | 129.1 |
38 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 129.5 |
Africa Avg | 110.04 | |
q=54. |
Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)18 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank18 | |
1 | Sweden | 6.1 |
2 | Denmark | 8.6 |
3 | Norway | 9.0 |
... | ||
159 | Algeria | 119.6 |
160 | Uzbekistan | 121.1 |
161 | Qatar | 121.7 |
162 | Malawi | 122.0 |
163 | UAE | 122.3 |
164 | Cambodia | 122.8 |
165 | Oman | 122.9 |
166 | Togo | 125.1 |
World Avg | 86.55 | |
q=199. |
The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Denmark and Norway19. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, N. Korea and Afghanistan19.
21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe19, whereas the worst are Africa, The Middle East and Asia19.
For more, see:
Human Rights & Tolerance:
Press Freedom Higher is better20 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202520 | |
1 | Norway | 92.31 |
2 | Estonia | 89.46 |
3 | Netherlands | 88.64 |
... | ||
72 | Guyana | 60.12 |
73 | Senegal | 59.43 |
74 | Comoros | 59.27 |
75 | Malawi | 59.20 |
76 | Cyprus | 59.04 |
77 | Papua New Guinea | 58.35 |
78 | Qatar | 58.25 |
79 | Albania | 58.18 |
Africa Avg | 52.30 | |
World Avg | 54.65 | |
q=179. |
Slavery Lower is better21 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2018 % Victims21 | |
1 | Japan | 0.03 |
2= | Canada | 0.05 |
2= | Taiwan | 0.05 |
... | ||
131 | Liberia | 0.74 |
132= | Guinea-Bissau | 0.75 |
132= | Madagascar | 0.75 |
132= | Malawi | 0.75 |
135 | Uganda | 0.76 |
136= | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 0.77 |
136= | Philippines | 0.77 |
136= | Libya | 0.77 |
Africa Avg | 0.96 | |
World Avg | 0.65 | |
q=167. |
Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom Lower is better22 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2014 Rank22 | |
1 | Hong Kong | 1 |
2 | Switzerland | 2 |
3 | New Zealand | 3 |
... | ||
103= | Zambia | 103 |
103= | Mozambique | 103 |
103= | Argentina | 103 |
106 | Malawi | 106 |
107 | Thailand | 107 |
108 | Lebanon | 108 |
109 | Laos | 109 |
110 | Ivory Coast | 110 |
Africa Avg | 114.2 | |
World Avg | 79.7 | |
q=159. |
Freedom in the World Lower is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2024 Score | |
1= | Norway | 1.0 |
1= | Canada | 1.0 |
1= | Cape Verde | 1.0 |
... | ||
86 | Liberia | 3.0 |
87= | Peru | 3.0 |
87= | Paraguay | 3.0 |
87= | Malawi | 3.0 |
87= | Moldova | 3.0 |
87= | Montenegro | 3.0 |
87= | Macedonia | 3.0 |
87= | India | 3.0 |
Africa Avg | 4.8 | |
World Avg | 3.7 | |
q=205. |
Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better23 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2009 Treaties23 | |
1 | Argentina | 24 |
2= | Chile | 23 |
2= | Costa Rica | 23 |
... | ||
124 | Uzbekistan | 14 |
125 | Mauritania | 13 |
126= | Sri Lanka | 13 |
126= | Malawi | 13 |
126= | Zambia | 13 |
126= | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 13 |
126= | Ivory Coast | 13 |
126= | Afghanistan | 13 |
Africa Avg | 14.8 | |
World Avg | 15.1 | |
q=194. |
HR Treaties Lag Lower is better24 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty24 | |
1 | Ecuador | 2.15 |
2 | Uruguay | 2.25 |
3 | Tunisia | 3.65 |
... | ||
126 | Switzerland | 11.71 |
127 | Macedonia | 11.71 |
128 | Czechia | 11.73 |
129 | Malawi | 11.77 |
130 | Maldives | 11.85 |
131 | Central African Rep. | 11.87 |
132 | Thailand | 11.89 |
133 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 11.91 |
Africa Avg | 9.88 | |
World Avg | 10.02 | |
q=195. |
Amnesty International's 2023-23 summary on human rights in Malawi stated:
“The NGO Amendment Bill was passed into law and threatened to undermine the right to freedom of association. Police used excessive force against peaceful protesters. Journalists, activists and several other people faced arrest and prosecution for social media posts. Parliament rejected a motion to abolish the death penalty.”
"The State of the World's Human Rights 2022/23" by Amnesty International (2023)25
Gender Equality:
Malawi is an unequal country, with male rights dominating those of women.
See:
Gender Inequality Lower is better26 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202226 | |
1 | Denmark | 0.01 |
2 | Norway | 0.01 |
3 | Switzerland | 0.02 |
... | ||
143 | Iraq | 0.56 |
144 | Madagascar | 0.57 |
145 | Togo | 0.58 |
146 | Malawi | 0.58 |
147 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 0.58 |
148 | Gambia | 0.59 |
149 | Mauritania | 0.60 |
150 | Congo, DR | 0.61 |
Africa Avg | 0.53 | |
World Avg | 0.34 | |
q=166. |
Data starts in 1998, so the 1990s average may be a little skewed due to too few datapoints, but, it does look like in the 1990s, Malawi was amongst the top 10 worst countries in the world for Gender Inequality. However, as data on more countries became available from the 2000s and as its situation slightly improved, its ranking rose in following decades.
Year Women Can Vote Lower is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total Year | |
1 | New Zealand | 1893 |
2 | Australia | 1902 |
3 | Finland | 1906 |
... | ||
129= | Rwanda | 1961 |
129= | Mauritania | 1961 |
129= | Burundi | 1961 |
129= | Malawi | 1961 |
129= | Paraguay | 1961 |
129= | Sierra Leone | 1961 |
135 | Zambia | 1962 |
136= | Uganda | 1962 |
Africa Avg | 1961 | |
World Avg | 1930 | |
q=189. |
Prejudice:
LGBT Equality Higher is better27 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Score27 | |
1 | Netherlands | 103 |
2 | Belgium | 90 |
3 | Sweden | 86 |
... | ||
159= | Bhutan | -20 |
159= | Burundi | -20 |
161 | Nigeria | -22 |
162= | Malawi | -22 |
162= | Uganda | -22 |
162= | Oman | -22 |
162= | Yemen | -22 |
166 | Turkmenistan | -24 |
Africa Avg | -10.4 | |
World Avg | 12.6 | |
q=196. |
Freedom of Thought Lower is better28 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202128 | |
1= | Belgium | 1.0 |
1= | Taiwan | 1.0 |
1= | Netherlands | 1.0 |
... | ||
127 | Italy | 3.3 |
128= | Macedonia | 3.3 |
128= | Liberia | 3.3 |
128= | Malawi | 3.3 |
128= | Madagascar | 3.3 |
132 | Burundi | 3.5 |
133= | Guinea | 3.5 |
133= | Equatorial Guinea | 3.5 |
Africa Avg | 3.1 | |
World Avg | 3.0 | |
q=196. |
#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #malawi #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines
Compared to Africa (2025)29 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank29 | |
1 | Tunisia | 69.2 |
2 | Mauritius | 69.2 |
3 | Seychelles | 84.8 |
... | ||
37 | Ethiopia | 151.7 |
38 | Sierra Leone | 153.1 |
39 | Liberia | 153.5 |
40 | Malawi | 154.3 |
41 | Central African Rep. | 155.4 |
42 | Mozambique | 155.8 |
43 | Zambia | 157.1 |
44 | Equatorial Guinea | 157.4 |
45 | Burkina Faso | 157.5 |
Africa Avg | 111.13 | |
q=54. |
Health (2025)29 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank29 | |
1 | Monaco | 14.3 |
2 | Liechtenstein | 30.1 |
3 | Isle of Man | 32.1 |
... | ||
193 | Ethiopia | 151.7 |
194 | Sierra Leone | 153.1 |
195 | Liberia | 153.5 |
196 | Malawi | 154.3 |
197 | Afghanistan | 155.0 |
198 | Central African Rep. | 155.4 |
199 | Mozambique | 155.8 |
200 | Zambia | 157.1 |
World Avg | 96.74 | |
q=212. |
The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man30. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria30.
21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans30, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia30.
For more, see:
Health:
Malawi is a pretty unhealthy country. Malawi comes in the best 20 in terms of its smoking rate31. It does better than average in its alcohol consumption rate32. But unfortunately Malawi gets most other things wrong. It does worse than average in its immunizations take-up33 (still high for Africa), its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance34, its average life expectancy11 and in its fertility rate14. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 for its adolescent birth rate35. The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Malawi in 1990 was the fifth lowest in the world, at 43.3yrs, and in 2000, it had the worst in the world. But it improved greatly, by +20.8yrs, in the 30 years from then, well over double the global average improvement of +7.9yrs. Malawi's peak fertility rate was 7.57 in 1980.Life Expectancy Higher is better11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years11 | |
1 | Monaco | 85.9 |
2 | Hong Kong | 85.5 |
3 | Japan | 84.8 |
... | ||
159 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 63.5 |
160 | Comoros | 63.4 |
161 | Haiti | 63.2 |
162 | Malawi | 62.9 |
163 | Uganda | 62.7 |
164 | S. Africa | 62.3 |
165 | Djibouti | 62.3 |
166 | Gambia | 62.1 |
Africa Avg | 62.79 | |
World Avg | 71.28 | |
q=195. |
Alcohol Consumption Lower is better32 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 Per Capita32 | |
1 | Bangladesh | 0.0 |
2 | Kuwait | 0.0 |
3 | Libya | 0.0 |
... | ||
60= | Tajikistan | 3.3 |
61 | Kenya | 3.4 |
62 | Mauritius | 3.6 |
63 | Malawi | 3.7 |
64= | El Salvador | 3.8 |
64= | Gambia | 3.8 |
64= | Israel | 3.8 |
64= | UAE | 3.8 |
Africa Avg | 4.8 | |
World Avg | 6.2 | |
q=189. |
Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202214 | |
1 | US Virgin Islands | 2.00 |
2 | Ecuador | 2.00 |
3 | Nepal | 2.01 |
... | ||
171 | Sao Tome & Principe | 3.75 |
172 | Eritrea | 3.79 |
173 | Madagascar | 3.79 |
174 | Malawi | 3.85 |
175 | Samoa | 3.88 |
176 | Sierra Leone | 3.88 |
177 | Comoros | 3.91 |
178= | Solomon Islands | 3.93 |
Africa Avg | 3.97 | |
World Avg | 2.47 | |
q=208. |
Smoking Rates Lower is better31 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201431 | |
1 | Guinea | 15 |
2 | Solomon Islands | 26 |
3 | Kiribati | 28 |
... | ||
9 | Vanuatu | 76 |
10 | Guyana | 77 |
11 | Suriname | 79 |
12 | Malawi | 80 |
13 | Tonga | 81 |
14 | Mozambique | 82 |
15 | Nepal | 83 |
16 | Afghanistan | 84 |
Africa Avg | 340 | |
World Avg | 819 | |
q=182. |
Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better34 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank34 | |
1 | Sweden | 1 |
2 | Ireland | 2 |
3 | Denmark | 3 |
... | ||
113 | Peru | 113 |
114 | Kenya | 114 |
115 | Haiti | 115 |
116 | Malawi | 116 |
117 | Swaziland | 117 |
118 | Iran | 118 |
119 | Yemen | 119 |
120 | Seychelles | 120 |
Africa Avg | 117.0 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Overweight Adults Lower is better36 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 %36 | |
1 | Vietnam | 18.3 |
2 | India | 19.7 |
3 | Bangladesh | 20.0 |
... | ||
13 | Chad | 23.1 |
14 | Burkina Faso | 23.2 |
15 | Sri Lanka | 23.3 |
16 | Malawi | 23.4 |
17 | Madagascar | 23.9 |
18 | Myanmar (Burma) | 24.8 |
19 | Rwanda | 25.1 |
20 | Congo, DR | 25.3 |
Africa Avg | 33.3 | |
World Avg | 49.0 | |
q=191. |
Children's Health:
Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better35 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Per 100035 | |
1 | Hong Kong | 1.6 |
2 | Denmark | 1.8 |
3 | S. Korea | 2.1 |
... | ||
182 | Guinea | 112.2 |
183 | Somalia | 116.1 |
184 | Zambia | 116.1 |
185 | Malawi | 117.2 |
186 | Madagascar | 118.1 |
187 | Liberia | 122.0 |
188 | Tanzania | 123.4 |
189 | Chad | 135.7 |
Africa Avg | 84.6 | |
World Avg | 43.8 | |
q=195. |
Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2015 Avg %33 | |
1= | Hungary | 99.0 |
1= | China | 99.0 |
3 | Uzbekistan | 98.9 |
... | ||
109= | Barbados | 92.1 |
110 | Ghana | 91.7 |
111= | Lesotho | 91.7 |
112 | Malawi | 91.7 |
113 | Mexico | 91.6 |
114 | Moldova | 91.5 |
115 | Iceland | 91.5 |
116 | Trinidad & Tobago | 91.4 |
Africa Avg | 81.7 | |
World Avg | 88.3 | |
q=194. |
Malawi was amongst 49 countries in the 1990s who had an adolescent birth rate of over 100 (per 1000 girls aged 15-19); things got slightly worse in the 2000s.
#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #malawi #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism
Compared to Africa (2025)37 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank37 | |
1 | Morocco | 46.5 |
2 | Burundi | 47.8 |
3 | Mali | 51.0 |
... | ||
24 | Swaziland | 74.2 |
25 | Chad | 74.4 |
26 | Cape Verde | 75.6 |
27 | Malawi | 76.0 |
28 | Benin | 76.5 |
29 | Botswana | 76.8 |
30 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 77.6 |
31 | Egypt | 78.0 |
32 | Algeria | 79.7 |
Africa Avg | 80.07 | |
q=53. |
Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)37 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank37 | |
1 | Sri Lanka | 34.9 |
2 | Uruguay | 43.2 |
3 | Switzerland | 45.0 |
... | ||
76 | Afghanistan | 75.7 |
77 | New Zealand | 75.8 |
78 | Bulgaria | 75.8 |
79 | Malawi | 76.0 |
80 | Benin | 76.5 |
81 | Australia | 76.6 |
82 | Botswana | 76.8 |
83 | Syria | 77.4 |
World Avg | 84.93 | |
q=199. |
All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.
The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.
For more, see:
Regarding its responsibility towards the environment, Malawi ranks 79th in the world. This rank is derived from 6 data sets. Malawi comes in the best 20 for energy to GDP efficiency38. It does better than average in reducing annual meat consumption per person39 (but bad for Africa) and in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment. Malawi does not succeed in everything, however. Malawi does worse than average in its environmental performance40 (still high for Africa). And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 in terms of the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population41 and in its forested percent change 2000-202042.Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better42 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total42 | |
1 | Guernsey | 82.6% |
2 | Bahrain | 75.2% |
3 | Iceland | 64.7% |
... | ||
226 | Mauritania | -27.7% |
227 | Uganda | -28.0% |
228 | St Pierre & Miquelon | -29.1% |
229 | Malawi | -29.4% |
230 | Paraguay | -32.6% |
231 | Chad | -35.0% |
232 | Gambia | -35.2% |
233 | Nicaragua | -41.1% |
Africa Avg | -8.7% | |
World Avg | -0.1% | |
q=234. |
From 2000 to 2010, Malawi destroyed 14% of its forest cover, and destroyed 16% of the remainder in the 2010s, falling to 2242 thousand hectares in 2020. That's almost a third destroyed (and still falling) within one generation, doing long-term damage to the country.
Environmental Performance Higher is better40 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201840 | |
1 | Switzerland | 87.4 |
2 | France | 84.0 |
3 | Denmark | 81.6 |
... | ||
124 | Ghana | 49.7 |
125 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 49.5 |
126 | Senegal | 49.5 |
127 | Malawi | 49.2 |
128 | Guyana | 47.9 |
129 | Tajikistan | 47.9 |
130 | Kenya | 47.3 |
131 | Bhutan | 47.2 |
Africa Avg | 46.4 | |
World Avg | 56.4 | |
q=180. |
Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better38 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Avg38 | |
1 | Rwanda | 0.25 |
2 | Chad | 0.26 |
3 | Tanzania | 0.31 |
4 | Uganda | 0.37 |
5 | Sierra Leone | 0.37 |
6 | Malawi | 0.37 |
7 | Madagascar | 0.38 |
8 | Sri Lanka | 0.39 |
9 | Burundi | 0.41 |
10 | Central African Rep. | 0.41 |
11 | Ethiopia | 0.42 |
12 | Afghanistan | 0.43 |
Africa Avg | 0.83 | |
World Avg | 1.23 | |
q=165. |
International Accords on the Environment Higher is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total Avg Rate | |
1 | Sweden | 83% |
2 | Canada | 82% |
3 | Norway | 81% |
... | ||
87 | Indonesia | 61% |
88 | Maldives | 61% |
89 | Bahamas | 60% |
90 | Malawi | 60% |
91 | Monaco | 60% |
92 | Burkina Faso | 59% |
93 | Benin | 59% |
94 | Ireland | 59% |
Africa Avg | 56.4% | |
World Avg | 57.5% | |
q=197. |
Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better41 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2011 %41 | |
1 | Argentina | 78.3% |
2 | Greece | 77.6% |
3 | Brazil | 77.1% |
... | ||
123 | Finland | 22.9% |
124 | Congo, DR | 22.8% |
125 | UK | 22.6% |
126 | Malawi | 22.0% |
127 | UAE | 20.8% |
128 | Norway | 20.5% |
129 | Botswana | 20.4% |
130 | USA | 19.7% |
Africa Avg | 38.3% | |
World Avg | 39.9% | |
q=145. |
Meat Consumption Lower is better39 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 kg39 | |
1 | Congo, DR | 03.0 |
2 | Burundi | 03.5 |
3 | Bangladesh | 04.3 |
... | ||
47 | Lesotho | 21.7 |
48 | Thailand | 26.0 |
49 | Swaziland | 27.1 |
50 | Malawi | 27.4 |
51 | Tunisia | 27.8 |
52 | Sao Tome & Principe | 28.3 |
53 | Maldives | 28.8 |
54 | Egypt | 29.1 |
Africa Avg | 24.9 | |
World Avg | 52.5 | |
q=185. |
In the 2010s, Malawi increased its meat consumption by over 20kgs per person per year, one of only 11 countries to do so, and putting unnecessary strain on water supplies and the environment.39
#capitalism #charity #corruption #economics #education #extremism #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #intelligence #it_security #life_expectancy #malawi #modernity #morals #namibia #peace #politics #poverty #religious_violence #social_development #sweden #technology #terrorism #the_internet
Compared to Africa (2020)43 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank43 | |
1 | S. Africa | 56.9 |
2 | Tunisia | 70.8 |
3= | Mauritius | 79.6 |
... | ||
20 | Zambia | 116.3 |
21 | Rwanda | 123.0 |
22 | Guinea-Bissau | 124.4 |
23 | Malawi | 125.4 |
24 | Togo | 125.8 |
25 | Sao Tome & Principe | 126.0 |
26 | Ethiopia | 128.3 |
27 | Ivory Coast | 132.4 |
28 | Senegal | 132.6 |
Africa Avg | 120.19 | |
q=53. |
Modernity & Learning (2020)43 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank43 | |
1 | Finland | 7.1 |
2 | Belgium | 12.9 |
3 | Denmark | 13.6 |
... | ||
143 | Guinea-Bissau | 124.4 |
144 | Laos | 124.4 |
145 | Iraq | 124.6 |
146 | Malawi | 125.4 |
147 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 125.5 |
148 | Vanuatu | 125.6 |
149 | Togo | 125.8 |
150 | Sao Tome & Principe | 126.0 |
World Avg | 86.31 | |
q=190. |
The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Belgium and Denmark44. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone44. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots45.
“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”
Bill Emmott (2017)46
15 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Intellectual Endeavours, Maths, Science & Reading, Religiosity, IQ, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe44, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia44.
For more, see:
Modernity and Education:
In the 1990s, Malawi increased its expected duration of education by almost 6 years, substantially more than any other country except Sweden. 47
Secondary Education Higher is better48 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201848 | |
1= | Luxembourg | 100.0% |
1= | Estonia | 100.0% |
1= | Austria | 100.0% |
... | ||
150 | Afghanistan | 26.1% |
151 | Myanmar (Burma) | 25.8% |
152 | Central African Rep. | 22.1% |
153 | Malawi | 21.8% |
154 | Cambodia | 21.3% |
155 | Mozambique | 19.3% |
156 | Mauritania | 18.8% |
157 | Senegal | 17.6% |
Africa Avg | 34.4% | |
World Avg | 63.0% | |
q=169. |
Length of Schooling Higher is better49 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years49 | |
1 | Australia | 21.1 |
2 | New Zealand | 20.3 |
3 | Greece | 20.0 |
... | ||
117 | St Lucia | 12.9 |
118 | Libya | 12.9 |
119 | Venezuela | 12.8 |
120 | Malawi | 12.7 |
121 | El Salvador | 12.7 |
122 | Nicaragua | 12.6 |
123 | Qatar | 12.6 |
124 | Maldives | 12.6 |
Africa Avg | 11.0 | |
World Avg | 13.5 | |
q=193. |
Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better34 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank34 | |
1 | Ukraine | 1 |
2 | Czechia | 2 |
3 | Hungary | 3 |
... | ||
91 | Antigua & Barbuda | 91 |
92 | Burkina Faso | 92 |
93 | Trinidad & Tobago | 93 |
94 | Malawi | 94 |
95 | Mexico | 95 |
96 | Guinea | 96 |
97 | St Vincent & Grenadines | 97 |
98 | Zimbabwe | 98 |
Africa Avg | 106.4 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
IQ Higher is better50 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 200650 | |
1= | Hong Kong | 108 |
1= | Singapore | 108 |
3 | S. Korea | 106 |
... | ||
115= | Rwanda | 70 |
115= | Benin | 70 |
117 | Ivory Coast | 69 |
118= | Malawi | 69 |
118= | Niger | 69 |
118= | Mali | 69 |
118= | Burundi | 69 |
118= | Nigeria | 69 |
Africa Avg | 70.6 | |
World Avg | 85.6 | |
q=138. |
Technology and Information:
Internet Users Higher is better51 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201651 | |
1 | Iceland | 100% |
2 | Faroe Islands | 99% |
3 | Norway | 98% |
... | ||
181= | Togo | 7% |
181= | Comoros | 7% |
183 | Afghanistan | 7% |
184 | Malawi | 7% |
185 | Mozambique | 6% |
186 | Benin | 6% |
187 | Tanzania | 5% |
188 | Central African Rep. | 5% |
Africa Avg | 18.4% | |
World Avg | 48.1% | |
q=201. |
IT Security Lower is better52 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201352 | |
1= | Ireland | 0.11 |
1= | Luxembourg | 0.11 |
1= | Belize | 0.11 |
... | ||
54 | Azerbaijan | 1.21 |
55 | Belarus | 1.22 |
56 | Armenia | 1.22 |
57 | Malawi | 1.23 |
58 | Turkmenistan | 1.23 |
59 | Kazakhstan | 1.23 |
60 | Djibouti | 1.29 |
61 | UK | 1.34 |
Africa Avg | 1.07 | |
World Avg | 0.98 | |
National Culture:
World Giving Index Higher is better53 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 %53 | |
1 | Indonesia | 68.0 |
2 | Kenya | 61.0 |
3 | USA | 59.0 |
... | ||
65= | Hungary | 40.0 |
65= | India | 40.0 |
65= | Cyprus | 40.0 |
68 | Malawi | 39.0 |
69= | Slovenia | 39.0 |
69= | Burkina Faso | 39.0 |
69= | Tajikistan | 39.0 |
69= | Peru | 39.0 |
Africa Avg | 38.2 | |
World Avg | 39.6 | |
q=125. |
Corruption Higher is better54 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Points54 | |
1 | Denmark | 90.0 |
2= | Finland | 87.0 |
2= | New Zealand | 87.0 |
... | ||
109 | Thailand | 36.0 |
110 | Gambia | 34.0 |
111= | Sierra Leone | 34.0 |
111= | Malawi | 34.0 |
111= | Indonesia | 34.0 |
111= | Bosnia & Herzegovina | 34.0 |
111= | Nepal | 34.0 |
116 | Ukraine | 33.0 |
Africa Avg | 32.31 | |
World Avg | 42.98 | |
q=180. |
Happiness Higher is better55 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2024 Score55 | |
1 | Finland | 7.7 |
2 | Denmark | 7.5 |
3 | Iceland | 7.5 |
... | ||
140 | Yemen | 3.6 |
141 | Congo, DR | 3.5 |
142 | Botswana | 3.4 |
143 | Zimbabwe | 3.4 |
144 | Malawi | 3.3 |
145 | Lebanon | 3.2 |
146 | Sierra Leone | 3.0 |
147 | Afghanistan | 1.4 |
Africa Avg | 4.42 | |
World Avg | 5.58 | |
q=147. |
Creativity & Culture Lower is better34 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank34 | |
1 | Belgium | 1 |
2 | Netherlands | 2 |
3 | Estonia | 3 |
... | ||
139 | Azerbaijan | 139 |
140 | Paraguay | 140 |
141 | Sri Lanka | 141 |
142 | Malawi | 142 |
143 | Benin | 143 |
144 | Cameroon | 144 |
145 | Laos | 145 |
146 | Nigeria | 146 |
Africa Avg | 117.8 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better34 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank34 | |
1 | Ireland | 1 |
2 | Denmark | 2 |
3 | Sweden | 3 |
... | ||
108 | Mexico | 108 |
109 | Thailand | 109 |
110 | Ecuador | 110 |
111 | Malawi | 111 |
112 | Laos | 112 |
113 | China | 113 |
114 | S. Africa | 114 |
115 | Cape Verde | 115 |
Africa Avg | 96.7 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Peace Versus Instability:
Global Peace Index Lower is better56 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 Score56 | |
1 | Iceland | 1.12 |
2 | Denmark | 1.31 |
3 | Ireland | 1.31 |
... | ||
71= | Trinidad & Tobago | 1.95 |
71= | Kosovo | 1.95 |
73 | Cambodia | 1.95 |
74 | Malawi | 1.97 |
75 | UAE | 1.98 |
76 | Kazakhstan | 1.98 |
77 | Jamaica | 1.99 |
78 | Bolivia | 2.00 |
Africa Avg | 2.29 | |
World Avg | 2.07 | |
q=163. |
Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better34 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank34 | |
1 | Samoa | 1 |
2 | S. Africa | 2 |
3 | Tunisia | 3 |
... | ||
57 | Zambia | 57 |
58 | Romania | 58 |
59 | Vietnam | 59 |
60 | Malawi | 60 |
61 | Brazil | 61 |
62 | Grenada | 62 |
63 | Kenya | 63 |
64 | Denmark | 64 |
Africa Avg | 83.6 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better34 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank34 | |
1 | Austria | 1 |
2 | Germany | 2 |
3 | Netherlands | 3 |
... | ||
66= | Burkina Faso | 66 |
66= | Kyrgyzstan | 66 |
68 | Iran | 68 |
69 | Malawi | 69 |
70 | Latvia | 70 |
71 | Guatemala | 71 |
72 | Estonia | 72 |
73 | Guinea-Bissau | 73 |
Africa Avg | 104.5 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Impact of Terrorism Lower is better57 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2019 Score57 | |
1 | Togo | 0.00 |
2 | Mongolia | 0.00 |
3 | Swaziland | 0.00 |
... | ||
44 | Jamaica | 0.47 |
45 | Poland | 0.48 |
46 | Gabon | 0.55 |
47 | Malawi | 0.66 |
48 | Azerbaijan | 0.70 |
49 | Czechia | 0.87 |
50 | Denmark | 0.96 |
51 | Guinea | 0.97 |
Africa Avg | 3.41 | |
World Avg | 2.78 | |
q=150. |
Economic Inequality and Poverty:
Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better58 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201958 | |
1 | Iceland | 2.40 |
2= | Singapore | 2.50 |
2= | Hong Kong | 2.50 |
... | ||
149 | Yemen | 24.70 |
150 | Ethiopia | 24.90 |
151= | Swaziland | 25.10 |
151= | Malawi | 25.10 |
153 | Tanzania | 25.30 |
154 | Zambia | 26.50 |
155 | Uganda | 27.20 |
156 | Sudan | 27.40 |
Africa Avg | 26.10 | |
World Avg | 14.59 | |
q=184. |
Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better59 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 %59 | |
1 | Slovakia | 24.1%60 |
2 | Slovenia | 24.3%60 |
3 | Belarus | 24.4%61 |
... | ||
105= | Israel | 37.9%60 |
105= | Togo | 37.9%60 |
107 | Gabon | 38.0%62 |
108 | Malawi | 38.5%63 |
109= | Samoa | 38.7%64 |
109= | Kenya | 38.7%60 |
111 | El Salvador | 38.8%65 |
112= | Gambia | 38.8%61 |
Africa Avg | 40.7% | |
World Avg | 36.5% | |
q=167. |
Income inequality data is rarely available for Malawi - only for 5 years between 1980 and 2019. It was measured once in the 1990s, and was 2nd most unequal country of all 117 surveyed throughout that decade; only Namibia was worse.
Multidimensional Poverty Lower is better66 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2018 Severity66 | |
1 | Armenia | .001 |
2 | Ukraine | .001 |
3 | Serbia | .001 |
... | ||
70 | Ivory Coast | .236 |
71 | Yemen | .241 |
72 | Cameroon | .243 |
73 | Malawi | .243 |
74 | Togo | .249 |
75 | Rwanda | .259 |
76 | Mauritania | .261 |
77 | Zambia | .261 |
Africa Avg | .264 | |
World Avg | .154 | |
q=101. |
#belief #buddhism #christianity #god #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion
Disbelief In God (2007)67 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better %67 | |
1 | Vietnam | 81 |
2 | Japan | 65 |
3 | Sweden | 64 |
... | ||
122= | Niger | 0 |
122= | Saudi Arabia | 0 |
122= | Rwanda | 0 |
122= | Cameroon | 0 |
122= | Philippines | 0 |
122= | Kuwait | 0 |
122= | Madagascar | 0 |
122= | Nigeria | 0 |
122= | Malawi | 0 |
122= | Chad | 0 |
122= | Nepal | 0 |
122= | Morocco | 0 |
122= | Mauritania | 0 |
122= | Mali | 0 |
122= | Senegal | 0 |
122= | Oman | 0 |
World Avg | 9.9 | |
q=137. |
Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below68:
Christian | 82.7% |
Muslim | 13% |
Hindu | 0.1% |
Buddhist | 0.1% |
Folk Religion | 1.7% |
Jewish | 0.1% |
Unaffiliated | 2.5% |
The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Christian 82.7%, Muslim 13%, other 1.9%, none 2.5% (1998 census)69.
Links: