China vs Malaysia
China vs Malaysia: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $237 in China and $138 in Malaysia, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $99, or 1.72 times that in Malaysia.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- China has been higher since 2016, when it overtook Malaysia.
- In 2025, China ranked 56 and Malaysia ranked 71 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | China | Malaysia |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $237 | $138 |
| 2024 | $220 | $124 |
| 2023 | $208 | $112 |
| 2022 | $205 | $107 |
| 2021 | $201 | $108 |
| 2020 | $181 | $100 |
| 2019 | $169 | $98 |
| 2018 | $164 | $106 |
| 2017 | $150 | $109 |
| 2016 | $142 | $132 |
| 2015 | $141 | $146 |
| 2014 | $132 | $162 |
| 2013 | $119 | $164 |
| 2012 | $106 | $153 |
| 2011 | $92 | $162 |
| 2010 | $78 | $136 |
| 2009 | $72 | $142 |
| 2008 | $59 | $162 |
| 2007 | $47 | $149 |
| 2006 | $39 | $125 |
| 2005 | $33 | $122 |
| 2004 | $29 | $113 |
| 2003 | $26 | $118 |
| 2002 | $24 | $94 |
| 2001 | $21 | $83 |
| 2000 | $18 | $68 |
| 1999 | $16 | $75 |
| 1998 | $14 | $54 |
| 1997 | $13 | $99 |
| 1996 | $12 | $118 |
| 1995 | $10 | $122 |
| 1994 | $8 | $108 |
| 1993 | $10 | $101 |
| 1992 | $10 | $95 |
| 1991 | $8 | $87 |
| 1990 | $9 | $64 |
| 1989 | $10 | $60 |
| 1988 | – | $52 |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- 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
China vs Malaysia
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Malaysia: 76.7 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Malaysia: 0.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Malaysia: 6.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Malaysia: 3.52% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Malaysia: 7.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Malaysia: 35.1 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Malaysia: 1.24% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Malaysia: 1.55 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Malaysia: 77.4% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Malaysia: 30.1 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Malaysia: 7.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Malaysia: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Malaysia: 1.04% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsChina: $335B in 2025Malaysia: $4.55B in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Malaysia: 4.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Malaysia: 136,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Malaysia: 0.46% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Malaysia: 0.81% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Malaysia: 7 million TIV in 2024
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025Malaysia: 20 million TIV in 2024