Botswana vs Zimbabwe
Botswana vs Zimbabwe: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $595M in Botswana and $134M in Zimbabwe, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Botswana, by $461M, or 4.46 times that in Zimbabwe.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Botswana has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1980.
- In 2025, Botswana ranked 93 and Zimbabwe ranked 126 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Botswana | Zimbabwe |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $595M | $134M |
| 2024 | $519M | $98.4M |
| 2023 | $360M | $64.9M |
| 2022 | $505M | $172M |
| 2021 | $529M | $193M |
| 2020 | $544M | $106M |
| 2019 | $538M | $79.9M |
| 2018 | $508M | $87.3M |
| 2017 | $558M | $78.2M |
| 2016 | $597M | $83M |
| 2015 | $426M | $85.9M |
| 2014 | $351M | $81.9M |
| 2013 | $303M | $79.2M |
| 2012 | $311M | $71.9M |
| 2011 | $333M | $46.5M |
| 2010 | $345M | $23.8M |
| 2009 | $368M | – |
| 2008 | $382M | – |
| 2007 | $357M | – |
| 2006 | $323M | $30.1M |
| 2005 | $328M | $32.5M |
| 2004 | $362M | $43.3M |
| 2003 | $392M | $70.4M |
| 2002 | $406M | $224M |
| 2001 | $381M | $62.1M |
| 2000 | $312M | $47.1M |
| 1999 | $282M | $37.4M |
| 1998 | $296M | $37.7M |
| 1997 | $242M | $27.6M |
| 1996 | $210M | $25.6M |
| 1995 | $227M | $24.4M |
| 1994 | $250M | $26.6M |
| 1993 | $271M | $26M |
| 1992 | $259M | $31M |
| 1991 | $279M | $38.1M |
| 1990 | $260M | $36.7M |
| 1989 | $207M | $36.5M |
| 1988 | $191M | $34.9M |
| 1987 | $149M | $33.4M |
| 1986 | $85.4M | $32.8M |
| 1985 | $58.2M | $32.8M |
| 1984 | $53.4M | $32.1M |
| 1983 | $45.9M | $37.7M |
| 1982 | $45.8M | $35M |
| 1981 | $54.7M | $31.4M |
| 1980 | $60.5M | $37.6M |
| 1979 | $55.1M | – |
| 1978 | $36.8M | – |
| 1977 | $16.1M | – |
- Highly uncertain
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Botswana vs Zimbabwe
Health
- Life expectancyBotswana: 69.2 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 62.8 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBotswana: 3.3 per 100 live births in 2024Zimbabwe: 6.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBotswana: 28.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023Zimbabwe: 33.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionBotswana: 3.97% in 2017Zimbabwe: 3.19% in 2017
- Suicide rateBotswana: 10 per 100,000 people in 2017Zimbabwe: 26.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBotswana: 2.48 million people in 2023Zimbabwe: 16.3 million people in 2023
- Population growthBotswana: 1.64% a year in 2023Zimbabwe: 1.68% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBotswana: 2.73 births per woman in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBotswana: 68% in 2025Zimbabwe: 40.5% in 2025
- Median ageBotswana: 22.9 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 17.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBotswana: 4% in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateBotswana: -2.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Zimbabwe: -6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBotswana: 3.11% of GDP in 2025Zimbabwe: 0.56% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personBotswana: $242 in 2025Zimbabwe: $10 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBotswana: 8.9% of government spending in 2025Zimbabwe: 5.3% of government spending in 2005
- Armed forces personnelBotswana: 9,000 people in 2020Zimbabwe: 51,000 people in 2020
- National powerBotswana: 0.02% of world capability in 2022Zimbabwe: 0.08% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBotswana: 0.92% of the labour force in 2020Zimbabwe: 0.88% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBotswana: 11 million TIV in 2024Zimbabwe: 20 million TIV in 2023