Malawi

Malawi retains a substantial forest cover (22.44% of total area), which is noteworthy for a country facing extreme economic hardship and high reliance on biomass for energy. Sustaining this level of forest area presents a significant environmental conservation achievement, or alternatively, a challenge against deforestation pressures.

Malawi has a high fertility rate (3.65 children per woman), which, combined with a relatively low life expectancy (67.35 years), suggests a very young population structure. This demographic pattern creates a high dependency ratio, placing strain on education, health systems, and future job creation.

Only a small fraction of the population (15.6%) has access to electricity, indicating a severe infrastructure deficit that hampers economic development and quality of life. This low access rate is a major bottleneck for industrialization and modern societal functions, particularly given the low GDP per capita.

Despite a population of over 21 million in a relatively small area (118,484 sq km), Malawi maintains an extremely low urban population share (16.98%). This high concentration of people in rural areas puts immense pressure on arable land and infrastructure, contrasting sharply with global urbanization trends.