Military spending, per capita in Malaysia
Malaysia: Military spending, per capita was 133.29 constant 2022 US$ per person in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
133.29 constant 2022 US$ per person
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
77th
of 171 countries
All-time high
285 constant 2022 US$ per person
in 1982
All-time low
36.9 constant 2022 US$ per person
in 1961
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Military spending, per capita in Malaysia, 1960–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2022 US$ per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending, per capita in Malaysia is 133.29 constant 2022 US$ per person, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and down 27.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per capita in Malaysia peaked at 285 constant 2022 US$ per person in 1982 and was at its lowest, 36.9 constant 2022 US$ per person, in 1961.
That places Malaysia 77th out of 171 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Military spending, per capita in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 41.69 constant 2022 US$ per person | — |
| 1961 | 36.9 constant 2022 US$ per person | -11.5% |
| 1962 | 38.79 constant 2022 US$ per person | +5.1% |
| 1963 | 45.83 constant 2022 US$ per person | +18.1% |
| 1964 | 60.73 constant 2022 US$ per person | +32.5% |
| 1965 | 78.28 constant 2022 US$ per person | +28.9% |
| 1966 | 86.12 constant 2022 US$ per person | +10.0% |
| 1967 | 82.88 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.8% |
| 1968 | 82.84 constant 2022 US$ per person | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 81.06 constant 2022 US$ per person | -2.1% |
| 1970 | 89.24 constant 2022 US$ per person | +10.1% |
| 1971 | 103.97 constant 2022 US$ per person | +16.5% |
| 1972 | 136.58 constant 2022 US$ per person | +31.4% |
| 1973 | 128.21 constant 2022 US$ per person | -6.1% |
| 1974 | 133.8 constant 2022 US$ per person | +4.4% |
| 1975 | 138.82 constant 2022 US$ per person | +3.7% |
| 1976 | 128.15 constant 2022 US$ per person | -7.7% |
| 1977 | 156.92 constant 2022 US$ per person | +22.5% |
| 1978 | 166.83 constant 2022 US$ per person | +6.3% |
| 1979 | 199.18 constant 2022 US$ per person | +19.4% |
| 1980 | 245.07 constant 2022 US$ per person | +23.0% |
| 1981 | 275.18 constant 2022 US$ per person | +12.3% |
| 1982 | 285 constant 2022 US$ per person | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 231.29 constant 2022 US$ per person | -18.8% |
| 1984 | 184.58 constant 2022 US$ per person | -20.2% |
| 1985 | 172.66 constant 2022 US$ per person | -6.5% |
| 1986 | 147.85 constant 2022 US$ per person | -14.4% |
| 1987 | 137.08 constant 2022 US$ per person | -7.3% |
| 1988 | 128.4 constant 2022 US$ per person | -6.3% |
| 1989 | 126.63 constant 2022 US$ per person | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 137.01 constant 2022 US$ per person | +8.2% |
| 1991 | 164.06 constant 2022 US$ per person | +19.7% |
| 1992 | 195.89 constant 2022 US$ per person | +19.4% |
| 1993 | 209.13 constant 2022 US$ per person | +6.8% |
| 1994 | 206.06 constant 2022 US$ per person | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 220.33 constant 2022 US$ per person | +6.9% |
| 1996 | 211.23 constant 2022 US$ per person | -4.1% |
| 1997 | 183.36 constant 2022 US$ per person | -13.2% |
| 1998 | 140.87 constant 2022 US$ per person | -23.2% |
| 1999 | 153.29 constant 2022 US$ per person | +8.8% |
| 2000 | 148.48 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 155.28 constant 2022 US$ per person | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 151.73 constant 2022 US$ per person | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 160.05 constant 2022 US$ per person | +5.5% |
| 2004 | 164.55 constant 2022 US$ per person | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 157.33 constant 2022 US$ per person | -4.4% |
| 2006 | 165.26 constant 2022 US$ per person | +5.0% |
| 2007 | 179.62 constant 2022 US$ per person | +8.7% |
| 2008 | 182.51 constant 2022 US$ per person | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 167.29 constant 2022 US$ per person | -8.3% |
| 2010 | 164.41 constant 2022 US$ per person | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 176.01 constant 2022 US$ per person | +7.1% |
| 2012 | 173.93 constant 2022 US$ per person | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 183.09 constant 2022 US$ per person | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 178.95 constant 2022 US$ per person | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 170.87 constant 2022 US$ per person | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 146.91 constant 2022 US$ per person | -14.0% |
| 2017 | 143.89 constant 2022 US$ per person | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 137.99 constant 2022 US$ per person | -4.1% |
| 2019 | 140.98 constant 2022 US$ per person | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 134.56 constant 2022 US$ per person | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 126.72 constant 2022 US$ per person | -5.8% |
| 2022 | 131.91 constant 2022 US$ per person | +4.1% |
| 2023 | 133.29 constant 2022 US$ per person | +1.0% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 133.29 constant 2022 US$ per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 106.01 constant 2022 US$ per person, 1.3× the median. (49 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 133.29 constant 2022 US$ per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 81.86 constant 2022 US$ per person, 1.6× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 63.51 constant 2022 US$ per person | 36.9 constant 2022 US$ per person | 86.12 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 138.17 constant 2022 US$ per person | 89.24 constant 2022 US$ per person | 199.18 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 193.37 constant 2022 US$ per person | 126.63 constant 2022 US$ per person | 285 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 182.12 constant 2022 US$ per person | 137.01 constant 2022 US$ per person | 220.33 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 163.21 constant 2022 US$ per person | 148.48 constant 2022 US$ per person | 182.51 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 161.7 constant 2022 US$ per person | 137.99 constant 2022 US$ per person | 183.09 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 131.62 constant 2022 US$ per person | 126.72 constant 2022 US$ per person | 134.56 constant 2022 US$ per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 74 Iraq 143.36 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 75 Gabon 137.99 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 76 Georgia 134.04 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 78 Brazil 129.53 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 79 Guyana 129.23 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 80 Tunisia 117.99 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
More reference data data for Malaysia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7102 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.5869 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1487 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 21.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.8098 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending, per capita in Malaysia?
- Military spending, per capita in Malaysia was 133.29 constant 2022 US$ per person in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per capita recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 285 constant 2022 US$ per person in 1982.
- What is the lowest military spending, per capita recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.9 constant 2022 US$ per person in 1961.
- How does Malaysia rank for military spending, per capita?
- Malaysia ranks 77th out of 171 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending, per capita rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military spending, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Military spending divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military spending ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Military spending Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Military spending divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.