Malawi vs Rwanda
Malawi vs Rwanda: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $128M in Malawi and $194M in Rwanda, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Rwanda, by $66.1M, or 1.52 times that in Malawi.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Rwanda has been higher since 2014, when it overtook Malawi.
- In 2025, Malawi ranked 127 and Rwanda ranked 120 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Malawi | Rwanda |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $128M | $194M |
| 2024 | $118M | $175M |
| 2023 | $131M | $161M |
| 2022 | $109M | $169M |
| 2021 | $87.1M | $180M |
| 2020 | $96.1M | $153M |
| 2019 | $88.7M | $133M |
| 2018 | $66.2M | $126M |
| 2017 | $60.4M | $118M |
| 2016 | $48.9M | $113M |
| 2015 | $48.1M | $106M |
| 2014 | $60.7M | $90.5M |
| 2013 | $82M | $79.7M |
| 2012 | $52.3M | $77.6M |
| 2011 | $45.6M | $79M |
| 2010 | $44.7M | $78.2M |
| 2009 | $52.9M | $76.8M |
| 2008 | $43.2M | $75M |
| 2007 | $35.3M | $71.1M |
| 2006 | $34.3M | $76.8M |
| 2005 | $41.9M | $69.8M |
| 2004 | $25.5M | $72.1M |
| 2003 | $15.2M | $82.6M |
| 2002 | $14.8M | $88.8M |
| 2001 | $13.7M | $93.9M |
| 2000 | $12.8M | $92.1M |
| 1999 | $15.1M | $108M |
| 1998 | $15.5M | $106M |
| 1997 | $19.4M | $96.7M |
| 1996 | $15M | $105M |
| 1995 | $11.3M | $73.9M |
| 1994 | $18.3M | $43.8M |
| 1993 | $18.8M | $128M |
| 1992 | $18.5M | $132M |
| 1991 | $16.7M | $161M |
| 1990 | $18.8M | $116M |
| 1989 | $19.9M | $50.8M |
| 1988 | $18.4M | $43.1M |
| 1987 | $22.8M | $45.5M |
| 1986 | $27.5M | $50.4M |
| 1985 | $23.2M | $45M |
| 1984 | $20M | $42.4M |
| 1983 | $23.6M | $47.1M |
| 1982 | $29.2M | $48.9M |
| 1981 | $38.8M | $52.5M |
| 1980 | $54.3M | $45.3M |
| 1979 | $56M | $40.8M |
| 1978 | $39.7M | $35.7M |
| 1977 | $25.7M | $48.4M |
| 1976 | $19.8M | $35.7M |
| 1975 | $21.3M | $32.9M |
| 1974 | $14.1M | $36.1M |
| 1973 | $14.4M | $51.3M |
| 1972 | $8.56M | – |
| 1971 | $7.99M | – |
| 1970 | $7.59M | – |
| 1969 | $7.65M | – |
| 1968 | $7.71M | – |
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
Malawi vs Rwanda
Health
- Life expectancyMalawi: 67.4 years in 2023Rwanda: 67.8 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMalawi: 4.9 per 100 live births in 2024Rwanda: 3.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMalawi: 29.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023Rwanda: 27.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionMalawi: 3.45% in 2017Rwanda: 3.87% in 2017
- Suicide rateMalawi: 12.1 per 100,000 people in 2017Rwanda: 11 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMalawi: 21.1 million people in 2023Rwanda: 14 million people in 2023
- Population growthMalawi: 2.57% a year in 2023Rwanda: 2.18% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMalawi: 3.65 births per woman in 2023Rwanda: 3.7 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMalawi: 17.6% in 2025Rwanda: 30.9% in 2025
- Median ageMalawi: 17.6 years in 2023Rwanda: 19.4 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMalawi: 2.6% in 2023Rwanda: 3.8% in 2023
- Net migration rateMalawi: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023Rwanda: -0.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMalawi: 1.15% of GDP in 2025Rwanda: 1.29% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personMalawi: $7 in 2025Rwanda: $13 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMalawi: 3.8% of government spending in 2025Rwanda: 4.7% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelMalawi: 15,000 people in 2020Rwanda: 35,000 people in 2020
- National powerMalawi: 0.07% of world capability in 2022Rwanda: 0.07% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMalawi: 0.2% of the labour force in 2020Rwanda: 0.7% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMalawi: 2 million TIV in 2024Rwanda: 37 million TIV in 2023