Malaysia vs Vietnam
Malaysia vs Vietnam: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $4.55B in Malaysia and $10.9B in Vietnam, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Vietnam, by $6.36B, or 2.4 times that in Malaysia.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Vietnam has been higher since 2009, when it overtook Malaysia.
- In 2025, Malaysia ranked 50 and Vietnam ranked 32 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Malaysia | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4.55B | $10.9B |
| 2024 | $4.38B | $8.59B |
| 2023 | $3.98B | $8.12B |
| 2022 | $3.69B | $7.31B |
| 2021 | $3.59B | $7.96B |
| 2020 | $3.43B | $7.73B |
| 2019 | $3.23B | $8.03B |
| 2018 | $3.34B | $7.69B |
| 2017 | $3.66B | $7.32B |
| 2016 | $4.36B | $7.34B |
| 2015 | $4.55B | $7.2B |
| 2014 | $4.23B | $6.51B |
| 2013 | $4.2B | $6.58B |
| 2012 | $3.85B | $5.99B |
| 2011 | $4.04B | $4.11B |
| 2010 | $3.6B | $3.96B |
| 2009 | $4.12B | $4.23B |
| 2008 | $4.37B | $3.06B |
| 2007 | $4.27B | $3.24B |
| 2006 | $3.82B | $2.51B |
| 2005 | $3.91B | $2.13B |
| 2004 | $3.65B | $2.05B |
| 2003 | $3.78B | $2B |
| 2002 | $2.97B | – |
| 2001 | $2.61B | – |
| 2000 | $2.1B | – |
| 1999 | $2.31B | – |
| 1998 | $1.71B | – |
| 1997 | $2.33B | – |
| 1996 | $2.48B | – |
| 1995 | $2.57B | – |
| 1994 | $2.42B | $1.08B |
| 1993 | $2.23B | $793M |
| 1992 | $2.1B | $1.01B |
| 1991 | $2.12B | $1.6B |
| 1990 | $1.55B | $2.25B |
| 1989 | $1.45B | $1.89B |
| 1988 | $1.21B | $1.43B |
| 1987 | $1.86B | $884M |
| 1986 | $1.28B | – |
| 1985 | $1.49B | – |
| 1984 | $1.67B | – |
| 1983 | $1.81B | – |
| 1982 | $2.03B | – |
| 1981 | $2.13B | – |
| 1980 | $1.58B | – |
| 1979 | $1.27B | – |
| 1978 | $1.09B | – |
| 1977 | $1.28B | – |
| 1976 | $952M | – |
| 1975 | $922M | – |
| 1974 | $873M | – |
| 1973 | $777M | – |
| 1972 | $839M | – |
| 1971 | $851M | – |
| 1970 | $759M | – |
| 1969 | $557M | – |
| 1968 | $572M | – |
| 1967 | $552M | – |
| 1966 | $599M | – |
| 1965 | $482M | – |
| 1964 | $344M | – |
| 1963 | $246M | – |
| 1962 | $183M | – |
| 1961 | $177M | – |
| 1960 | $214M | – |
| 1959 | $232M | – |
| 1958 | $266M | – |
| 1957 | $253M | – |
- Estimate
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 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 per personMalaysia: $138 in 2025Vietnam: $104 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMalaysia: 4.4% of government spending in 2025Vietnam: 9.9% of government spending 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