Malawi vs South Sudan: Military spending
Military spending in 2025: 1.15% of GDP in Malawi and 3.43% of GDP in South Sudan, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Sudan, by 2.28 percentage points, or 2.99 times that in Malawi.
MalawiSouth Sudan
Watch it change on the map% of GDP · SIPRI · log scale
Latest figures
% of GDP · SIPRI
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malawi | 1.15 2025 | 0.45 | 102 of 151 |
| South Sudan | 3.43 2025 | 8.6 | 15 of 151 |
What the numbers say
- South Sudan has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2008.
- In 2025, Malawi ranked 102 and South Sudan ranked 15 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of GDP · SIPRI
| Year | Malawi | South Sudan |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.15 | 3.43 |
| 2024 | 1.06 | 6.55 |
| 2023 | 1.17 | 2.38 |
| 2022 | 0.93 | 1.58 |
| 2021 | 0.73 | 1.51 |
| 2020 | 0.83 | 1.87 |
| 2019 | 0.76 | 3.8 |
| 2018 | 0.59 | 4.77 |
| 2017 | 0.53 | 3.99 |
| 2016 | 0.45 | 4.85 |
| 2015 | 0.45 | 8.6 |
| 2014 | 0.58 | 8.58 |
| 2013 | 0.81 | 6.57 |
| 2012 | 0.54 | 8.77 |
| 2011 | 0.47 | 6.09 |
| 2010 | 0.51 | 4.14 |
| 2009 | 0.67 | 4.97 |
| 2008 | 0.59 | 5.76 |
| 2007 | 0.54 | – |
| 2006 | 0.55 | – |
| 2005 | 0.74 | – |
| 2004 | 0.45 | – |
| 2003 | 0.29 | – |
| 2002 | 0.3 | – |
| 2001 | 0.3 | – |
| 2000 | 0.28 | – |
| 1999 | 0.33 | – |
| 1998 | 0.34 | – |
| 1997 | 0.41 | – |
| 1996 | 0.36 | – |
| 1995 | 0.32 | – |
| 1994 | 0.58 | – |
| 1993 | 0.51 | – |
| 1992 | 0.57 | – |
| 1991 | 0.44 | – |
| 1990 | 0.58 | – |
| 1989 | 0.61 | – |
| 1988 | 0.62 | – |
| 1987 | 0.76 | – |
| 1986 | 0.86 | – |
| 1985 | 0.72 | – |
| 1984 | 0.64 | – |
| 1983 | 0.74 | – |
| 1982 | 0.94 | – |
| 1981 | 1.27 | – |
| 1980 | 1.76 | – |
| 1979 | 4.07 | – |
| 1978 | 2.7 | – |
| 1977 | 1.69 | – |
| 1976 | 1.37 | – |
| 1975 | 1.53 | – |
| 1974 | 0.97 | – |
| 1973 | 1.06 | – |
| 1972 | 0.6 | – |
| 1971 | 0.58 | – |
| 1970 | 0.64 | – |
| 1969 | 0.67 | – |
| 1968 | 0.7 | – |
| 1967 | 0.72 | – |
| 1966 | 0.65 | – |
| 1965 | 0.7 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, as a share of its economy, 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