Zambia vs Zimbabwe
Zambia vs Zimbabwe: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $343M in Zambia and $134M in Zimbabwe, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Zambia, by $209M, or 2.57 times that in Zimbabwe.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Zambia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1984.
- In 2025, Zambia ranked 109 and Zimbabwe ranked 126 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Zambia | Zimbabwe |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $343M | $134M |
| 2024 | $349M | $98.4M |
| 2023 | $328M | $64.9M |
| 2022 | $269M | $172M |
| 2021 | $235M | $193M |
| 2020 | $256M | $106M |
| 2019 | $288M | $79.9M |
| 2018 | $330M | $87.3M |
| 2017 | $287M | $78.2M |
| 2016 | $295M | $83M |
| 2015 | $362M | $85.9M |
| 2014 | $338M | $81.9M |
| 2013 | $275M | $79.2M |
| 2012 | $255M | $71.9M |
| 2011 | $229M | $46.5M |
| 2010 | $218M | $23.8M |
| 2009 | $196M | – |
| 2008 | $208M | – |
| 2007 | $209M | – |
| 2006 | $184M | $30.1M |
| 2005 | $169M | $32.5M |
| 2004 | $151M | $43.3M |
| 2003 | – | $70.4M |
| 2002 | – | $224M |
| 2001 | – | $62.1M |
| 2000 | – | $47.1M |
| 1999 | $115M | $37.4M |
| 1998 | – | $37.7M |
| 1997 | $77.1M | $27.6M |
| 1996 | $77M | $25.6M |
| 1995 | $115M | $24.4M |
| 1994 | $137M | $26.6M |
| 1993 | $116M | $26M |
| 1992 | $240M | $31M |
| 1991 | $211M | $38.1M |
| 1990 | $316M | $36.7M |
| 1989 | $358M | $36.5M |
| 1988 | $248M | $34.9M |
| 1987 | $333M | $33.4M |
| 1986 | $369M | $32.8M |
| 1985 | $200M | $32.8M |
| 1984 | $248M | $32.1M |
| 1983 | – | $37.7M |
| 1982 | – | $35M |
| 1981 | – | $31.4M |
| 1980 | – | $37.6M |
- 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
Zambia vs Zimbabwe
Health
- Life expectancyZambia: 66.4 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 62.8 years in 2023
- Child mortalityZambia: 4.8 per 100 live births in 2024Zimbabwe: 6.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityZambia: 38.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023Zimbabwe: 33.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionZambia: 3.64% in 2017Zimbabwe: 3.19% in 2017
- Suicide rateZambia: 13.1 per 100,000 people in 2017Zimbabwe: 26.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationZambia: 20.7 million people in 2023Zimbabwe: 16.3 million people in 2023
- Population growthZambia: 2.83% a year in 2023Zimbabwe: 1.68% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateZambia: 4.1 births per woman in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationZambia: 45.9% in 2025Zimbabwe: 40.5% in 2025
- Median ageZambia: 17.5 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 17.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overZambia: 1.9% in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateZambia: 0.5 per 1,000 people in 2023Zimbabwe: -6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingZambia: 1.26% of GDP in 2025Zimbabwe: 0.56% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personZambia: $19 in 2025Zimbabwe: $10 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingZambia: 4.5% of government spending in 2025Zimbabwe: 5.3% of government spending in 2005
- Armed forces personnelZambia: 16,000 people in 2020Zimbabwe: 51,000 people in 2020
- National powerZambia: 0.1% of world capability in 2022Zimbabwe: 0.08% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersZambia: 0.24% of the labour force in 2020Zimbabwe: 0.88% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsZambia: 1 million TIV in 2024Zimbabwe: 20 million TIV in 2023
- Arms exportsZambia: 2 million TIV in 1990Zimbabwe: 4 million TIV in 2001