Military spending as a share of GDP in Malawi
Malawi: Military spending as a share of GDP was 1.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.1%
Change on year
up 8.3%
World rank
115th
of 166 countries
All-time high
4.1%
in 1979
All-time low
0.3%
in 2000
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Military spending as a share of GDP in Malawi, 1965–2025
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending as a share of gdp in Malawi is 1.1%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 8.3% on the previous year and up 154.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of gdp in Malawi peaked at 4.1% in 1979 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2000.
Malawi ranks 115th of 166 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending as a share of GDP in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0.7% | — |
| 1966 | 0.6% | -8.0% |
| 1967 | 0.7% | +11.0% |
| 1968 | 0.7% | -3.0% |
| 1969 | 0.7% | -3.9% |
| 1970 | 0.6% | -4.0% |
| 1971 | 0.6% | -9.3% |
| 1972 | 0.6% | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 1.1% | +76.1% |
| 1974 | 1.0% | -8.8% |
| 1975 | 1.5% | +57.9% |
| 1976 | 1.4% | -10.0% |
| 1977 | 1.7% | +23.0% |
| 1978 | 2.7% | +59.4% |
| 1979 | 4.1% | +50.9% |
| 1980 | 1.8% | -56.8% |
| 1981 | 1.3% | -27.5% |
| 1982 | 0.9% | -26.5% |
| 1983 | 0.7% | -20.6% |
| 1984 | 0.6% | -14.1% |
| 1985 | 0.7% | +12.3% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | +19.7% |
| 1987 | 0.8% | -11.0% |
| 1988 | 0.6% | -18.9% |
| 1989 | 0.6% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 0.6% | -6.1% |
| 1991 | 0.4% | -23.5% |
| 1992 | 0.6% | +30.4% |
| 1993 | 0.5% | -11.4% |
| 1994 | 0.6% | +14.4% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -44.4% |
| 1996 | 0.4% | +11.8% |
| 1997 | 0.4% | +12.2% |
| 1998 | 0.3% | -16.6% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | -17.1% |
| 2001 | 0.3% | +10.2% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 0.3% | -3.5% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | +54.6% |
| 2005 | 0.7% | +65.4% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | -25.6% |
| 2007 | 0.5% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 0.6% | +10.2% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | +13.6% |
| 2010 | 0.5% | -24.4% |
| 2011 | 0.5% | -8.1% |
| 2012 | 0.5% | +16.1% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | +48.9% |
| 2014 | 0.6% | -28.3% |
| 2015 | 0.5% | -22.4% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 0.5% | +17.3% |
| 2018 | 0.6% | +11.2% |
| 2019 | 0.8% | +29.1% |
| 2020 | 0.8% | +9.7% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | -12.5% |
| 2022 | 0.9% | +27.8% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | +24.9% |
| 2024 | 1.1% | -9.3% |
| 2025 | 1.1% | +8.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 5 |
| 1970s | 1.5% | 0.6% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9% | 0.6% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 112 Seychelles 1.2% compare
- 113 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 1.2% compare
- 114 Tanzania, United Republic of 1.2% compare
- 116 New Zealand 1.1% compare
- 117 Austria 1.1% compare
- 118 Kenya 1.1% compare
More economy & growth data for Malawi
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.07 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.6 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 42,016 constant LCU per person (2024)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 10.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 0.143 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 96.05 current US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), annual 11.27 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 250.44 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 168,173 current LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 2 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending as a share of gdp in Malawi?
- Military spending as a share of gdp in Malawi was 1.1% in 2025, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 4.1% in 1979.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2000.
- How does Malawi rank for military spending as a share of gdp?
- Malawi ranks 115th out of 166 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 154.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Total military expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.