Sub-Saharan Africa: Incidence of malaria (per 1,000 population at risk)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Sub-Saharan Africa's incidence of malaria (per 1,000 population at risk) rose 2.1 on 2023 (from 227.16 to 229.26).

Across the 23 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2023), the average change was −4.9 and a typical year strayed about 5.4 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 5.92 in 2020 and the biggest yearly fall was 12.13 in 2007. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 16% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

What this measures

Incidence of malaria is the number of new cases of malaria in a year per 1,000 population at risk.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 25 values

Incidence of malaria (per 1,000 population at risk) in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 17.76 (2024)
• Algeria — 0 (2024)
• Djibouti — 45.09 (2024)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 0 (2024)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 2.18 (2024)
• Iraq — 0 (2024)
• Morocco — 0 (2024)
• Oman — 0 (2024)
• Pakistan — 12.77 (2024)
• Saudi Arabia

More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa

• Population ages 00-04, female (% of female population) — 14.57% (2025)
• Population ages 00-04, male (% of male population) — 15.02% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female — 263.91 million (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) — 39.81% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male — 269.77 million (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male (% of male population) — 40.95% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, total — 533.68 million (2025)
• Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) — 40.38% (2025)
• Population ages 05-09, female (% of female population)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Sub-Saharan Africa's incidence of malaria (per 1,000 population at risk)?

229.26 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is down 32.54% from 339.85 in 2000 (1.63% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 341.94 in 2001 and the lowest 222.06 in 2019.

Is the latest change in incidence of malaria (per 1,000 population at risk) unusual for Sub-Saharan Africa?

In 2024, Sub-Saharan Africa's incidence of malaria (per 1,000 population at risk) rose 2.1 on 2023 (from 227.16 to 229.26). Across the 23 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2023), the average change was −4.9 and a typical year strayed about 5.4 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Where does this data come from?

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SH.MLR.INCD.P3, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository/World Health Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO), uri: http://apps.who.int/ghodata/ Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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