Military spending as a share of GDP in Zambia
Zambia: Military spending as a share of GDP was 1.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
1.3%
Change on year
down 4.9%
World rank
111th
of 166 countries
All-time high
4.2%
in 1989
All-time low
1.0%
in 2021
Years of data
37
1984–2025
Military spending as a share of GDP in Zambia, 1984–2025
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, military spending as a share of gdp in Zambia stood at 1.3%.
That represents a change of down 4.9% on the previous year and down 28.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of gdp in Zambia peaked at 4.2% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 2021.
Zambia ranks 111th of 166 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 37 years of available data.
Military spending as a share of GDP in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 3.0% | — |
| 1985 | 2.4% | -21.3% |
| 1986 | 3.7% | +55.2% |
| 1987 | 3.2% | -12.1% |
| 1988 | 2.4% | -25.8% |
| 1989 | 4.2% | +75.7% |
| 1990 | 3.4% | -18.7% |
| 1991 | 2.3% | -31.5% |
| 1992 | 2.7% | +15.7% |
| 1993 | 1.4% | -47.2% |
| 1994 | 1.7% | +20.3% |
| 1995 | 1.5% | -15.6% |
| 1996 | 1.1% | -27.5% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 1.6% | +63.6% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 1.8% | +16.9% |
| 2006 | 1.7% | -5.6% |
| 2007 | 2.1% | +18.3% |
| 2008 | 2.1% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 1.7% | -16.8% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | -20.2% |
| 2011 | 1.3% | -4.7% |
| 2012 | 1.4% | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 1.4% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 1.6% | +20.2% |
| 2015 | 1.8% | +7.3% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | -18.5% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | -9.0% |
| 2018 | 1.4% | +10.5% |
| 2019 | 1.3% | -12.6% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | -7.2% |
| 2021 | 1.0% | -15.7% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | +13.7% |
| 2023 | 1.3% | +19.9% |
| 2024 | 1.3% | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 1.3% | -4.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.1% | 2.4% | 4.2% | 6 |
| 1990s | 1.9% | 1.0% | 3.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.1% | 6 |
| 2010s | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 108 Congo 1.3% compare
- 109 Philippines 1.3% compare
- 110 Rwanda 1.3% compare
- 112 Seychelles 1.2% compare
- 113 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 1.2% compare
- 114 Tanzania, United Republic of 1.2% compare
More economy & growth data for Zambia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.92 Percent per annum (2029)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth 97.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth 155.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 58.8 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 1.03 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 1,360 current LCU per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 51.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.0433 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 57.08 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending as a share of gdp in Zambia?
- Military spending as a share of gdp in Zambia was 1.3% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.2% in 1989.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 2021.
- How does Zambia rank for military spending as a share of gdp?
- Zambia ranks 111th out of 166 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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.