Where is Malaria Found?

  Map highlighting countries with endemic malaria

Malaria affects more than 100 countries meaning that 40% of the Worlds population has a chance of catching the disease on a daily basis. From the map it can be seen that the countries with endemic malaria (countires labelled in red) are mainly found in the southern hemisphere; notably in Africa. This is because it is in these countries that the Anopheles mosquito lives, as the climates here are hot and humid creating the perfect environment for the mosquito to reproduce and grow.

 There are also areas in Latin America, Asia, and Oceania, where the more serious forms of malaria still occurs. The parasite Plasmodium vivax is the most common in Asia and Latin America.

 

Image courtesy of Wikipedia thus there are no copyright restrictions as it is in the public domain.

Quick Fact

A single female can lay over 200 eggs at a time and the eggs can then go on to survive for more than five years!