Kenya vs Malawi
Kenya vs Malawi: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $1.36B in Kenya and $128M in Malawi, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Kenya, by $1.23B, or 11 times that in Malawi.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Kenya has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1968.
- In 2025, Kenya ranked 73 and Malawi ranked 127 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Kenya | Malawi |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.36B | $128M |
| 2024 | $1.26B | $118M |
| 2023 | $1.14B | $131M |
| 2022 | $1.14B | $109M |
| 2021 | $1.16B | $87.1M |
| 2020 | $1.13B | $96.1M |
| 2019 | $1.15B | $88.7M |
| 2018 | $1.19B | $66.2M |
| 2017 | $1.16B | $60.4M |
| 2016 | $1.13B | $48.9M |
| 2015 | $1.05B | $48.1M |
| 2014 | $976M | $60.7M |
| 2013 | $1.07B | $82M |
| 2012 | $1.09B | $52.3M |
| 2011 | $962M | $45.6M |
| 2010 | $941M | $44.7M |
| 2009 | $887M | $52.9M |
| 2008 | $870M | $43.2M |
| 2007 | $911M | $35.3M |
| 2006 | $814M | $34.3M |
| 2005 | $823M | $41.9M |
| 2004 | $780M | $25.5M |
| 2003 | $791M | $15.2M |
| 2002 | $783M | $14.8M |
| 2001 | $728M | $13.7M |
| 2000 | $632M | $12.8M |
| 1999 | $589M | $15.1M |
| 1998 | $605M | $15.5M |
| 1997 | $642M | $19.4M |
| 1996 | $676M | $15M |
| 1995 | $578M | $11.3M |
| 1994 | $504M | $18.3M |
| 1993 | $605M | $18.8M |
| 1992 | $724M | $18.5M |
| 1991 | $968M | $16.7M |
| 1990 | $1.24B | $18.8M |
| 1989 | $1.22B | $19.9M |
| 1988 | $1.31B | $18.4M |
| 1987 | $1.36B | $22.8M |
| 1986 | $1.06B | $27.5M |
| 1985 | $884M | $23.2M |
| 1984 | $1.05B | $20M |
| 1983 | $1.28B | $23.6M |
| 1982 | $1.36B | $29.2M |
| 1981 | $1.35B | $38.8M |
| 1980 | $1.39B | $54.3M |
| 1979 | $1.71B | $56M |
| 1978 | $1.57B | $39.7M |
| 1977 | $1.21B | $25.7M |
| 1976 | $723M | $19.8M |
| 1975 | $504M | $21.3M |
| 1974 | $505M | $14.1M |
| 1973 | $467M | $14.4M |
| 1972 | $414M | $8.56M |
| 1971 | $325M | $7.99M |
| 1970 | $260M | $7.59M |
| 1969 | $246M | $7.65M |
| 1968 | $255M | $7.71M |
| 1967 | $250M | – |
| 1966 | $208M | – |
| 1965 | $165M | – |
| 1964 | $102M | – |
| 1963 | $32.2M | – |
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.
- 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
Kenya vs Malawi
Health
- Life expectancyKenya: 63.7 years in 2023Malawi: 67.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityKenya: 3.9 per 100 live births in 2024Malawi: 4.9 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityKenya: 29.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023Malawi: 29.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionKenya: 3.51% in 2017Malawi: 3.45% in 2017
- Suicide rateKenya: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017Malawi: 12.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationKenya: 55.3 million people in 2023Malawi: 21.1 million people in 2023
- Population growthKenya: 1.97% a year in 2023Malawi: 2.57% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateKenya: 3.21 births per woman in 2023Malawi: 3.65 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationKenya: 32.2% in 2025Malawi: 17.6% in 2025
- Median ageKenya: 19.5 years in 2023Malawi: 17.6 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overKenya: 2.9% in 2023Malawi: 2.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateKenya: -0.2 per 1,000 people in 2023Malawi: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingKenya: 1.07% of GDP in 2025Malawi: 1.15% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personKenya: $26 in 2025Malawi: $7 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingKenya: 4.6% of government spending in 2025Malawi: 3.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelKenya: 24,000 people in 2020Malawi: 15,000 people in 2020
- National powerKenya: 0.23% of world capability in 2022Malawi: 0.07% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersKenya: 0.11% of the labour force in 2020Malawi: 0.2% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsKenya: 117 million TIV in 2025Malawi: 2 million TIV in 2024
- Arms exportsKenya: 2 million TIV in 1993Malawi: 1 million TIV in 2000