Malaysia vs Myanmar (Burma)
Malaysia vs Myanmar (Burma): Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars: $4.55B in Malaysia in 2025 and $4.65B in Myanmar (Burma) in 2024, by SIPRI estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Myanmar (Burma), by $274M, or 1.06 times that in Malaysia.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Myanmar (Burma) has been higher since 2024, when it overtook Malaysia.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Malaysia | Myanmar (Burma) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4.55B | – |
| 2024 | $4.38B | $4.65B |
| 2023 | $3.98B | $2.88B |
| 2022 | $3.69B | $3.31B |
| 2021 | $3.59B | $3.7B |
| 2020 | $3.43B | $3.33B |
| 2019 | $3.23B | $2.28B |
| 2018 | $3.34B | $2.36B |
| 2017 | $3.66B | $3.46B |
| 2016 | $4.36B | $3.65B |
| 2015 | $4.55B | $3.82B |
| 2014 | $4.23B | $3.29B |
| 2013 | $4.2B | $3.27B |
| 2012 | $3.85B | $2.97B |
| 2011 | $4.04B | – |
| 2010 | $3.6B | – |
| 2009 | $4.12B | – |
| 2008 | $4.37B | – |
| 2007 | $4.27B | – |
| 2006 | $3.82B | – |
| 2005 | $3.91B | $716M |
| 2004 | $3.65B | $708M |
| 2003 | $3.78B | $634M |
| 2002 | $2.97B | $426M |
| 2001 | $2.61B | $585M |
| 2000 | $2.1B | $653M |
| 1999 | $2.31B | $484M |
| 1998 | $1.71B | $489M |
| 1997 | $2.33B | $593M |
| 1996 | $2.48B | $713M |
| 1995 | $2.57B | $668M |
| 1994 | $2.42B | $628M |
| 1993 | $2.23B | $591M |
| 1992 | $2.1B | $514M |
| 1991 | $2.12B | $443M |
| 1990 | $1.55B | $511M |
| 1989 | $1.45B | $430M |
| 1988 | $1.21B | $242M |
| 1987 | $1.86B | $233M |
| 1986 | $1.28B | $365M |
| 1985 | $1.49B | $391M |
| 1984 | $1.67B | $393M |
| 1983 | $1.81B | $402M |
| 1982 | $2.03B | $418M |
| 1981 | $2.13B | $433M |
| 1980 | $1.58B | $387M |
| 1979 | $1.27B | $371M |
| 1978 | $1.09B | $389M |
| 1977 | $1.28B | $350M |
| 1976 | $952M | $301M |
| 1975 | $922M | $314M |
| 1974 | $873M | $363M |
| 1973 | $777M | $439M |
| 1972 | $839M | $468M |
| 1971 | $851M | $479M |
| 1970 | $759M | $470M |
| 1969 | $557M | $420M |
| 1968 | $572M | $367M |
| 1967 | $552M | $367M |
| 1966 | $599M | $382M |
| 1965 | $482M | $488M |
| 1964 | $344M | $524M |
| 1963 | $246M | $535M |
| 1962 | $183M | $471M |
| 1961 | $177M | $437M |
| 1960 | $214M | $456M |
| 1959 | $232M | $472M |
| 1958 | $266M | $436M |
| 1957 | $253M | $396M |
| 1956 | – | $386M |
| 1955 | – | $385M |
| 1954 | – | $438M |
| 1953 | – | $350M |
| 1952 | – | $245M |
| 1951 | – | $159M |
- Estimate
- Highly uncertain
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.
- 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
Malaysia vs Myanmar (Burma)
Health
- Life expectancyMalaysia: 76.7 years in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 66.9 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMalaysia: 0.8 per 100 live births in 2024Myanmar (Burma): 3.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMalaysia: 6.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 31.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterMalaysia: 93.9% in 2022Myanmar (Burma): 57.4% in 2022
- DepressionMalaysia: 3.52% in 2017Myanmar (Burma): 2.3% in 2017
- Suicide rateMalaysia: 7.8 per 100,000 people in 2017Myanmar (Burma): 5 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMalaysia: 35.1 million people in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 54.1 million people in 2023
- Population growthMalaysia: 1.24% a year in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 0.69% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMalaysia: 1.55 births per woman in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 2.12 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMalaysia: 77.4% in 2025Myanmar (Burma): 30.6% in 2025
- Median ageMalaysia: 30.1 years in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 29.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMalaysia: 7.5% in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 7.1% in 2023
- Net migration rateMalaysia: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023Myanmar (Burma): -0.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personMalaysia: $12,350 in 2025Myanmar (Burma): $1,128 in 2025
- GDP growthMalaysia: 5.2% a year in 2025Myanmar (Burma): -12% a year in 2021
- InflationMalaysia: 1.4% a year in 2025Myanmar (Burma): 27.6% a year in 2023
- Government debtMalaysia: 70.5% of GDP in 2025Myanmar (Burma): 37.6% of GDP in 2019
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMalaysia: 1.04% of GDP in 2025Myanmar (Burma): 6.61% of GDP in 2024
- Military spending per personMalaysia: $138 in 2025Myanmar (Burma): $92 in 2024
- Military share of state spendingMalaysia: 4.4% of government spending in 2025Myanmar (Burma): 32% of government spending in 2024
- Armed forces personnelMalaysia: 136,000 people in 2020Myanmar (Burma): 463,000 people in 2020
- National powerMalaysia: 0.46% of world capability in 2022Myanmar (Burma): 0.53% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMalaysia: 0.81% of the labour force in 2020Myanmar (Burma): 1.94% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMalaysia: 7 million TIV in 2024Myanmar (Burma): 70 million TIV in 2025