Malawi vs Zimbabwe: Military spending

Military spending in 2025: 1.15% of GDP in Malawi and 0.56% of GDP in Zimbabwe, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Malawi, by 0.58 percentage points, or 2.03 times that in Zimbabwe.

Watch it change on the map

% of GDP · SIPRI

MalawiZimbabweHighly uncertain

What the numbers say

Malawi has been higher since 2023, when it overtook Zimbabwe.
In 2025, Malawi ranked 102 and Zimbabwe ranked 136 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.

Every year

% of GDP · SIPRI

Year	Malawi	Zimbabwe
2025	1.15	0.56
2024	1.06	0.35
2023	1.17	0.21
2022	0.93	1
2021	0.73	1.57
2020	0.83	0.98
2019	0.76	0.65
2018	0.59	1.18
2017	0.53	1.47
2016	0.45	1.74
2015	0.45	1.89
2014	0.58	1.89
2013	0.81	1.87
2012	0.54	1.86
2011	0.47	1.41
2010	0.51	0.82
2009	0.67	–
2008	0.59	–
2007	0.54	–
2006	0.55	1.99
2005	0.74	1.45
2004	0.45	2.71
2003	0.29	2.04
2002	0.3	6.31
2001	0.3	2.55
2000	0.28	3.05
1999	0.33	2.24
1998	0.34	2.53
1997	0.41	3
1996	0.36	2.88
1995	0.32	3.18
1994	0.58	3.12
1993	0.51	3.3
1992	0.57	3.8
1991	0.44	3.98
1990	0.58	4.1
1989	0.61	4.93
1988	0.62	5.21
1987	0.76	5.82
1986	0.86	5.5
1985	0.72	5.49
1984	0.64	5.68
1983	0.74	5.56
1982	0.94	5.12
1981	1.27	4.86
1980	1.76	6.63
1979	4.07	8.52
1978	2.7	7.99
1977	1.69	6.54
1976	1.37	4.63
1975	1.53	3.4
1974	0.97	2.98
1973	1.06	2.63
1972	0.6	2.18
1971	0.58	2.29
1970	0.64	2.44
1969	0.67	2.42
1968	0.7	2.07
1967	0.72	1.36
1966	0.65	1.32
1965	0.7	1.19

Highly uncertain

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.
Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
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 Zimbabwe: Military spending

What the numbers say

Every year

Each country on its own

Good to know

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