Ethiopia vs Malawi
Ethiopia vs Malawi: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $785M in Ethiopia and $128M in Malawi, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Ethiopia, by $658M, or 6.14 times that in Malawi.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Ethiopia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1968.
- In 2025, Ethiopia ranked 85 and Malawi ranked 127 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Ethiopia | Malawi |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $785M | $128M |
| 2024 | $700M | $118M |
| 2023 | $982M | $131M |
| 2022 | $1.01B | $109M |
| 2021 | $492M | $87.1M |
| 2020 | $510M | $96.1M |
| 2019 | $585M | $88.7M |
| 2018 | $628M | $66.2M |
| 2017 | $636M | $60.4M |
| 2016 | $610M | $48.9M |
| 2015 | $531M | $48.1M |
| 2014 | $515M | $60.7M |
| 2013 | $497M | $82M |
| 2012 | $496M | $52.3M |
| 2011 | $515M | $45.6M |
| 2010 | $528M | $44.7M |
| 2009 | $544M | $52.9M |
| 2008 | $553M | $43.2M |
| 2007 | $693M | $35.3M |
| 2006 | $751M | $34.3M |
| 2005 | $832M | $41.9M |
| 2004 | $829M | $25.5M |
| 2003 | $764M | $15.2M |
| 2002 | $897M | $14.8M |
| 2001 | $1.08B | $13.7M |
| 2000 | $1.7B | $12.8M |
| 1999 | $1.88B | $15.1M |
| 1998 | $1.19B | $15.5M |
| 1997 | $555M | $19.4M |
| 1996 | $302M | $15M |
| 1995 | $259M | $11.3M |
| 1994 | $307M | $18.3M |
| 1993 | $334M | $18.8M |
| 1992 | $302M | $18.5M |
| 1991 | $510M | $16.7M |
| 1990 | $1.03B | $18.8M |
| 1989 | $1.08B | $19.9M |
| 1988 | $912M | $18.4M |
| 1987 | $757M | $22.8M |
| 1986 | $681M | $27.5M |
| 1985 | $600M | $23.2M |
| 1984 | $704M | $20M |
| 1983 | $737M | $23.6M |
| 1982 | $694M | $29.2M |
| 1981 | $697M | $38.8M |
| 1980 | $724M | $54.3M |
| 1979 | $582M | $56M |
| 1978 | $435M | $39.7M |
| 1977 | $377M | $25.7M |
| 1976 | $417M | $19.8M |
| 1975 | $524M | $21.3M |
| 1974 | $334M | $14.1M |
| 1973 | $238M | $14.4M |
| 1972 | $241M | $8.56M |
| 1971 | $216M | $7.99M |
| 1970 | $208M | $7.59M |
| 1969 | $228M | $7.65M |
| 1968 | $233M | $7.71M |
| 1967 | $249M | – |
| 1966 | $295M | – |
| 1965 | $287M | – |
- Estimate
- 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
Ethiopia vs Malawi
Health
- Life expectancyEthiopia: 67.3 years in 2023Malawi: 67.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityEthiopia: 4.5 per 100 live births in 2024Malawi: 4.9 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityEthiopia: 33 per 1,000 live births in 2023Malawi: 29.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterEthiopia: 13.2% in 2022Malawi: 17.8% in 2022
- DepressionEthiopia: 3.82% in 2017Malawi: 3.45% in 2017
- Suicide rateEthiopia: 9.6 per 100,000 people in 2017Malawi: 12.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationEthiopia: 129 million people in 2023Malawi: 21.1 million people in 2023
- Population growthEthiopia: 2.59% a year in 2023Malawi: 2.57% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateEthiopia: 3.99 births per woman in 2023Malawi: 3.65 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationEthiopia: 24.1% in 2025Malawi: 17.6% in 2025
- Median ageEthiopia: 18.7 years in 2023Malawi: 17.6 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overEthiopia: 3.2% in 2023Malawi: 2.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateEthiopia: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023Malawi: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingEthiopia: 0.49% of GDP in 2025Malawi: 1.15% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personEthiopia: $4 in 2025Malawi: $7 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingEthiopia: 4.1% of government spending in 2025Malawi: 3.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelEthiopia: 138,000 people in 2020Malawi: 15,000 people in 2020
- National powerEthiopia: 0.85% of world capability in 2022Malawi: 0.07% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersEthiopia: 0.28% of the labour force in 2020Malawi: 0.2% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsEthiopia: 63 million TIV in 2025Malawi: 2 million TIV in 2024
- Arms exportsEthiopia: 17 million TIV in 1997Malawi: 1 million TIV in 2000