Malawi vs Uganda: Military spending

Military spending in 2025: 1.15% of GDP in Malawi and 1.96% of GDP in Uganda, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Uganda, by 0.81 percentage points, or 1.71 times that in Malawi.

Watch it change on the map

% of GDP · SIPRI

MalawiUganda

What the numbers say

Uganda has been higher since 1980, when it overtook Malawi.
In 2025, Malawi ranked 102 and Uganda ranked 64 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.

Every year

% of GDP · SIPRI

Year	Malawi	Uganda
2025	1.15	1.96
2024	1.06	1.97
2023	1.17	1.88
2022	0.93	1.85
2021	0.73	2.34
2020	0.83	2.47
2019	0.76	1.72
2018	0.59	1.15
2017	0.53	1.04
2016	0.45	1
2015	0.45	0.99
2014	0.58	0.92
2013	0.81	0.94
2012	0.54	1.18
2011	0.47	2.54
2010	0.51	2.46
2009	0.67	1.43
2008	0.59	1.35
2007	0.54	1.39
2006	0.55	1.5
2005	0.74	1.68
2004	0.45	1.77
2003	0.29	1.69
2002	0.3	1.64
2001	0.3	1.68
2000	0.28	1.77
1999	0.33	2.66
1998	0.34	2.44
1997	0.41	2.12
1996	0.36	2.21
1995	0.32	2.1
1994	0.58	2.02
1993	0.51	1.93
1992	0.57	1.66
1991	0.44	2.51
1990	0.58	2.97
1989	0.61	2.73
1988	0.62	2.46
1987	0.76	2.59
1986	0.86	2.91
1985	0.72	2.66
1984	0.64	2.63
1983	0.74	2.22
1982	0.94	1.98
1981	1.27	1.89
1980	1.76	2.22
1979	4.07	1.69
1978	2.7	1.97
1977	1.69	2.04
1976	1.37	3.19
1975	1.53	2.82
1974	0.97	3.63
1973	1.06	3.5
1972	0.6	4.06
1971	0.58	3.47
1970	0.64	1.97
1969	0.67	1.83
1968	0.7	1.79
1967	0.72	1.62
1966	0.65	1.44
1965	0.7	1.13
1964	–	0.65
1963	–	0.37
1962	–	0.11

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

Malawi vs Uganda: Military spending

What the numbers say

Every year

Each country on its own

Good to know

Malawi vs Uganda

Health

People

Economy

Education

Politics

Conflict

Military

Climate

Technology and environment