Malawi vs South Africa
Malawi vs South Africa: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 3.8% of government spending in Malawi and 2.2% of government spending in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Malawi, by 1.7 percentage points, or 1.75 times that in South Africa.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Malawi has been higher since 2018, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, Malawi ranked 108 and South Africa ranked 135 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | Malawi | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.8 | 2.2 |
| 2024 | 3.4 | 2.3 |
| 2023 | 4.3 | 2.5 |
| 2022 | 3.5 | 2.7 |
| 2021 | 3.1 | 2.6 |
| 2020 | 3.7 | 2.8 |
| 2019 | 3.9 | 2.8 |
| 2018 | 3 | 3 |
| 2017 | 2.5 | 3.2 |
| 2016 | 2.3 | 3.2 |
| 2015 | 2.3 | 3.3 |
| 2014 | 3.2 | 3.5 |
| 2013 | 3.9 | 3.6 |
| 2012 | 2.9 | 3.6 |
| 2011 | 2.8 | 3.6 |
| 2010 | 2.6 | 3.5 |
| 2009 | 3.3 | 3.8 |
| 2008 | 2.9 | 4 |
| 2007 | 2.6 | 4.3 |
| 2006 | 3.1 | 4.7 |
| 2005 | 4.3 | 4.9 |
| 2004 | 2.6 | 5.3 |
| 2003 | 1.9 | 5.8 |
| 2002 | 2.2 | 6.2 |
| 2001 | – | 5.9 |
| 2000 | – | 5.5 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The part of everything the government spends that goes on its armed forces and defence, 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 150 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 South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyMalawi: 67.4 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMalawi: 4.9 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMalawi: 29.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionMalawi: 3.45% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateMalawi: 12.1 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMalawi: 21.1 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthMalawi: 2.57% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMalawi: 3.65 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMalawi: 17.6% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageMalawi: 17.6 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMalawi: 2.6% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateMalawi: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMalawi: 1.15% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsMalawi: $128M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personMalawi: $7 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelMalawi: 15,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerMalawi: 0.07% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMalawi: 0.2% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMalawi: 2 million TIV in 2024South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsMalawi: 1 million TIV in 2000South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025