Zambia vs Zimbabwe
Zambia vs Zimbabwe: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $19 in Zambia and $10 in Zimbabwe, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Zambia, by $9, or 1.98 times that in Zimbabwe.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Zambia has been higher since 2024, when it overtook Zimbabwe.
- In 2025, Zambia ranked 122 and Zimbabwe ranked 140 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Zambia | Zimbabwe |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $19 | $10 |
| 2024 | $17 | $6 |
| 2023 | $18 | $54 |
| 2022 | $16 | $21 |
| 2021 | $11 | $30 |
| 2020 | $11 | $16 |
| 2019 | $16 | $36 |
| 2018 | $21 | $28 |
| 2017 | $20 | $23 |
| 2016 | $18 | $25 |
| 2015 | $23 | $26 |
| 2014 | $28 | $26 |
| 2013 | $25 | $26 |
| 2012 | $24 | $23 |
| 2011 | $22 | $15 |
| 2010 | $20 | $7 |
| 2009 | $17 | – |
| 2008 | $22 | – |
| 2007 | $19 | – |
| 2006 | $17 | $13 |
| 2005 | $12 | $11 |
| 2004 | $9 | $21 |
| 2003 | – | $16 |
| 2002 | – | $56 |
| 2001 | – | $24 |
| 2000 | – | $29 |
| 1999 | $6 | $22 |
| 1998 | – | $27 |
| 1997 | $5 | $28 |
| 1996 | $4 | $26 |
| 1995 | $6 | $24 |
| 1994 | $7 | $23 |
| 1993 | $6 | $23 |
| 1992 | $12 | $28 |
| 1991 | $11 | $37 |
| 1990 | $18 | $42 |
| 1989 | $22 | $42 |
| 1988 | $12 | $43 |
- Highly uncertain
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- 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 in US dollarsZambia: $343M in 2025Zimbabwe: $134M 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