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Zambia vs. Malawi

Demographics

ZambiaMalawi
Population19,077,816 (July 2021 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
20,308,502 (July 2021 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
Age structure0-14 years: 45.74% (male 4,005,134/female 3,964,969)

15-24 years: 20.03% (male 1,744,843/female 1,746,561)

25-54 years: 28.96% (male 2,539,697/female 2,506,724)

55-64 years: 3.01% (male 242,993/female 280,804)

65 years and over: 2.27% (male 173,582/female 221,316) (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 45.87% (male 4,843,107/female 4,878,983)

15-24 years: 20.51% (male 2,151,417/female 2,195,939)

25-54 years: 27.96% (male 2,944,936/female 2,982,195)

55-64 years: 2.98% (male 303,803/female 328,092)

65 years and over: 2.68% (male 249,219/female 318,938) (2020 est.)
Median agetotal: 16.9 years

male: 16.7 years

female: 17 years (2020 est.)
total: 16.8 years

male: 16.7 years

female: 16.9 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate2.93% (2021 est.)2.39% (2021 est.)
Birth rate35.23 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)28.59 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)4.66 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sex ratioat birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality ratetotal: 37.91 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 41.44 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 34.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
total: 34.19 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 38.61 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 29.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birthtotal population: 65.92 years

male: 64.15 years

female: 67.75 years (2021 est.)
total population: 72.16 years

male: 69.04 years

female: 75.33 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate4.63 children born/woman (2021 est.)3.51 children born/woman (2021 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate11.1% (2020 est.)8.1% (2020 est.)
Nationalitynoun: Zambian(s)

adjective: Zambian
noun: Malawian(s)

adjective: Malawian
Ethnic groupsBemba 21%, Tonga 13.6%, Chewa 7.4%, Lozi 5.7%, Nsenga 5.3%, Tumbuka 4.4%, Ngoni 4%, Lala 3.1%, Kaonde 2.9%, Namwanga 2.8%, Lunda (north Western) 2.6%, Mambwe 2.5%, Luvale 2.2%, Lamba 2.1%, Ushi 1.9%, Lenje 1.6%, Bisa 1.6%, Mbunda 1.2%, other 13.8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)Chewa 34.3%, Lomwe 18.8%, Yao 13.2%, Ngoni 10.4%, Tumbuka 9.2%, Sena 3.8%, Mang'anja 3.2%, Tonga 1.8%, Nyanja 1.8%, Nkhonde 1%, other 2.2%, foreign 0.3% (2018 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS1.5 million (2020 est.)990,000 (2020 est.)
ReligionsProtestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7% (includes Muslim Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha'i), none 1.8% (2010 est.)Protestant 33.5% (includes Church of Central Africa Presbyterian 14.2%, Seventh Day Adventist/Baptist 9.4%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 2.3%), Roman Catholic 17.2%, other Christian 26.6%, Muslim 13.8%, traditionalist 1.1%, other 5.6%, none 2.1% (2018 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths24,000 (2020 est.)12,000 (2020 est.)
LanguagesBemba 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (North Western) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.)

note: Zambia is said to have over 70 languages, although many of these may be considered dialects; all of Zambia's major languages are members of the Bantu family; Chewa and Nyanja are mutually intelligible dialects
English (official), Chewa (common), Lambya, Lomwe, Ngoni, Nkhonde, Nyakyusa, Nyanja, Sena, Tonga, Tumbuka, Yao

note: Chewa and Nyanja are mutually intelligible dialects; Nkhonde and Nyakyusa are mutually intelligible dialects
Literacydefinition: age 15 and over can read and write English

total population: 86.7%

male: 90.6%

female: 83.1% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 62.1%

male: 69.8%

female: 55.2% (2015)
Major infectious diseasesdegree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies
degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies
Food insecuritysevere localized food insecurity: due to reduced incomes - the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have aggravated food insecurity across the country, particularly due to income reductions that have constrained households' economic access to food; cereal production is estimated at a bumper high in 2021 and, as a result, overall food security is expected to improve compared to the previous year (2021)severe localized food insecurity: due to reduced incomes - nationally, cereal production is estimated at a bumper high in 2021, which is expected to result in average to above-average household cereal supplies and thus improvements in food security; despite the good food supply situation, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to curb access to food due to reduced incomes (2021)
Education expenditures4.6% of GDP NA (2018)4.7% of GDP (2018)
Urbanizationurban population: 45.2% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 4.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 17.7% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 4.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Drinking water sourceimproved: urban: 89.5% of population

rural: 50.9% of population

total: 67.5% of population

unimproved: urban: 10.5% of population

rural: 49.1% of population

total: 32.5% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 95.9% of population

rural: 87.3% of population

total: 88.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 4.1% of population

rural: 12.7% of population

total: 11.3% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility accessimproved: urban: 69.6% of population

rural: 24.8% of population

total: 44.1% of population

unimproved: urban: 31.4% of population

rural: 75.2% of population

total: 55.9% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 58.2% of population

rural: 35.9% of population

total: 39.6% of population

unimproved: urban: 41.8% of population

rural: 64.1% of population

total: 60.4% of population (2017 est.)
Major cities - population2.906 million LUSAKA (capital) (2021)1.171 million LILONGWE (capital), 962,000 Blantyre-Limbe (2021)
Maternal mortality rate213 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)349 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight11.8% (2018/19)9% (2019)
Health expenditures4.9% (2018)9.3% (2018)
Physicians density1.19 physicians/1,000 population (2018)0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density2 beds/1,000 population (2010)1.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate8.1% (2016)5.8% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth19.2 years (2018 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 20-49
19.1 years (2015/16 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 20-49
Demographic profile

Zambia's poor, youthful population consists primarily of Bantu-speaking people representing nearly 70 different ethnicities. Zambia's high fertility rate continues to drive rapid population growth, averaging almost 3 percent annually between 2000 and 2010. The country's total fertility rate has fallen by less than 1.5 children per woman during the last 30 years and still averages among the world's highest, almost 6 children per woman, largely because of the country's lack of access to family planning services, education for girls, and employment for women. Zambia also exhibits wide fertility disparities based on rural or urban location, education, and income. Poor, uneducated women from rural areas are more likely to marry young, to give birth early, and to have more children, viewing children as a sign of prestige and recognizing that not all of their children will live to adulthood. HIV/AIDS is prevalent in Zambia and contributes to its low life expectancy.

Zambian emigration is low compared to many other African countries and is comprised predominantly of the well-educated. The small amount of brain drain, however, has a major impact in Zambia because of its limited human capital and lack of educational infrastructure for developing skilled professionals in key fields. For example, Zambia has few schools for training doctors, nurses, and other health care workers. Its spending on education is low compared to other Sub-Saharan countries.

Malawi has made great improvements in maternal and child health, but has made less progress in reducing its high fertility rate. In both rural and urban areas, very high proportions of mothers are receiving prenatal care and skilled birth assistance, and most children are being vaccinated. Malawi's fertility rate, however, has only declined slowly, decreasing from more than 7 children per woman in the 1980s to about 5.5 today. Nonetheless, Malawians prefer smaller families than in the past, and women are increasingly using contraceptives to prevent or space pregnancies. Rapid population growth and high population density is putting pressure on Malawi's land, water, and forest resources. Reduced plot sizes and increasing vulnerability to climate change, further threaten the sustainability of Malawi's agriculturally based economy and will worsen food shortages. About 80% of the population is employed in agriculture.

Historically, Malawians migrated abroad in search of work, primarily to South Africa and present-day Zimbabwe, but international migration became uncommon after the 1970s, and most migration in recent years has been internal. During the colonial period, Malawians regularly migrated to southern Africa as contract farm laborers, miners, and domestic servants. In the decade and a half after independence in 1964, the Malawian Government sought to transform its economy from one dependent on small-scale farms to one based on estate agriculture. The resulting demand for wage labor induced more than 300,000 Malawians to return home between the mid-1960s and the mid-1970s. In recent times, internal migration has generally been local, motivated more by marriage than economic reasons.

Contraceptive prevalence rate49.6% (2018)59.2% (2015/16)
Dependency ratiostotal dependency ratio: 85.7

youth dependency ratio: 81.7

elderly dependency ratio: 4

potential support ratio: 25.3 (2020 est.)
total dependency ratio: 83.9

youth dependency ratio: 79.1

elderly dependency ratio: 4.9

potential support ratio: 20.6 (2020 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook