Malaysia vs Vietnam
Malaysia vs Vietnam: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 4.4% of government spending in Malaysia and 9.9% of government spending in Vietnam, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Vietnam, by 5.5 percentage points, or 2.24 times that in Malaysia.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Vietnam has been higher since 2007, when it overtook Malaysia.
- In 2025, Malaysia ranked 90 and Vietnam ranked 29 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | Malaysia | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.4 | 9.9 |
| 2024 | 4.3 | 9.4 |
| 2023 | 3.9 | 9.8 |
| 2022 | 3.7 | 9.4 |
| 2021 | 4 | 10.2 |
| 2020 | 4 | 9.7 |
| 2019 | 3.8 | 11 |
| 2018 | 4.2 | 10.9 |
| 2017 | 5 | 10.6 |
| 2016 | 6.1 | 11.1 |
| 2015 | 6.1 | 10.6 |
| 2014 | 5.5 | 10.6 |
| 2013 | 5.4 | 10.6 |
| 2012 | 5 | 10.3 |
| 2011 | 5.7 | 8.3 |
| 2010 | 5.6 | 7.8 |
| 2009 | 6.1 | 8.6 |
| 2008 | 6.8 | 7.6 |
| 2007 | 7.6 | 8.1 |
| 2006 | 7.5 | 7.4 |
| 2005 | 8.5 | 6.8 |
| 2004 | 8 | 7.5 |
| 2003 | 8.6 | 7.6 |
| 2002 | 7.5 | – |
| 2001 | 6.8 | – |
| 2000 | 5.9 | – |
| 1999 | 7.8 | – |
| 1998 | 6.4 | – |
| 1997 | 9.1 | – |
| 1996 | 9.8 | – |
| 1995 | 11.2 | – |
| 1994 | 11.2 | – |
| 1993 | 10.7 | – |
| 1992 | 9.7 | – |
| 1991 | 10.7 | – |
| 1990 | 7.8 | – |
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
Malaysia vs Vietnam
Health
- Life expectancyMalaysia: 76.7 years in 2023Vietnam: 74.6 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMalaysia: 0.8 per 100 live births in 2024Vietnam: 1.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMalaysia: 6.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023Vietnam: 15.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterMalaysia: 93.9% in 2022Vietnam: 57.8% in 2022
- DepressionMalaysia: 3.52% in 2017Vietnam: 2.88% in 2017
- Suicide rateMalaysia: 7.8 per 100,000 people in 2017Vietnam: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMalaysia: 35.1 million people in 2023Vietnam: 100 million people in 2023
- Population growthMalaysia: 1.24% a year in 2023Vietnam: 0.64% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMalaysia: 1.55 births per woman in 2023Vietnam: 1.91 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMalaysia: 77.4% in 2025Vietnam: 38.8% in 2025
- Median ageMalaysia: 30.1 years in 2023Vietnam: 32.4 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMalaysia: 7.5% in 2023Vietnam: 8.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateMalaysia: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023Vietnam: -0.8 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMalaysia: 1.04% of GDP in 2025Vietnam: 2.15% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsMalaysia: $4.55B in 2025Vietnam: $10.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personMalaysia: $138 in 2025Vietnam: $104 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelMalaysia: 136,000 people in 2020Vietnam: 522,000 people in 2020
- National powerMalaysia: 0.46% of world capability in 2022Vietnam: 1.11% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMalaysia: 0.81% of the labour force in 2020Vietnam: 0.95% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMalaysia: 7 million TIV in 2024Vietnam: 177 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsMalaysia: 20 million TIV in 2024Vietnam: 10 million TIV in 2018