Military spending, per capita in Malaysia
Malaysia: Military spending, per capita was 126.36 constant 2024 US$ per person in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
126.36 constant 2024 US$ per person
Change on year
up 2.6%
World rank
73rd
of 161 countries
All-time high
158.91 constant 2024 US$ per person
in 1981
All-time low
21.72 constant 2024 US$ per person
in 1961
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military spending, per capita in Malaysia, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2024 US$ per person.
Analysis
In 2025, military spending, per capita in Malaysia stood at 126.36 constant 2024 US$ per person.
The figure is up 2.6% on the previous year and down 13.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per capita in Malaysia peaked at 158.91 constant 2024 US$ per person in 1981 and was at its lowest, 21.72 constant 2024 US$ per person, in 1961.
Malaysia ranks 73rd of 161 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Military spending, per capita in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 26.87 constant 2024 US$ per person | — |
| 1961 | 21.72 constant 2024 US$ per person | -19.2% |
| 1962 | 21.79 constant 2024 US$ per person | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 28.58 constant 2024 US$ per person | +31.2% |
| 1964 | 38.93 constant 2024 US$ per person | +36.2% |
| 1965 | 53.25 constant 2024 US$ per person | +36.8% |
| 1966 | 64.48 constant 2024 US$ per person | +21.1% |
| 1967 | 58.1 constant 2024 US$ per person | -9.9% |
| 1968 | 58.83 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 55.97 constant 2024 US$ per person | -4.9% |
| 1970 | 74.58 constant 2024 US$ per person | +33.3% |
| 1971 | 81.65 constant 2024 US$ per person | +9.5% |
| 1972 | 78.55 constant 2024 US$ per person | -3.8% |
| 1973 | 71.03 constant 2024 US$ per person | -9.6% |
| 1974 | 77.94 constant 2024 US$ per person | +9.7% |
| 1975 | 80.37 constant 2024 US$ per person | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 81.02 constant 2024 US$ per person | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 106 constant 2024 US$ per person | +30.8% |
| 1978 | 88.38 constant 2024 US$ per person | -16.6% |
| 1979 | 100.88 constant 2024 US$ per person | +14.1% |
| 1980 | 121.72 constant 2024 US$ per person | +20.7% |
| 1981 | 158.91 constant 2024 US$ per person | +30.6% |
| 1982 | 146.6 constant 2024 US$ per person | -7.7% |
| 1983 | 126.98 constant 2024 US$ per person | -13.4% |
| 1984 | 113.32 constant 2024 US$ per person | -10.8% |
| 1985 | 97.89 constant 2024 US$ per person | -13.6% |
| 1986 | 81.17 constant 2024 US$ per person | -17.1% |
| 1987 | 114.19 constant 2024 US$ per person | +40.7% |
| 1988 | 71.9 constant 2024 US$ per person | -37.0% |
| 1989 | 83.58 constant 2024 US$ per person | +16.2% |
| 1990 | 87.16 constant 2024 US$ per person | +4.3% |
| 1991 | 115.36 constant 2024 US$ per person | +32.4% |
| 1992 | 111.62 constant 2024 US$ per person | -3.2% |
| 1993 | 115.62 constant 2024 US$ per person | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 122.14 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.6% |
| 1995 | 126.61 constant 2024 US$ per person | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 118.71 constant 2024 US$ per person | -6.2% |
| 1997 | 108.83 constant 2024 US$ per person | -8.3% |
| 1998 | 78.04 constant 2024 US$ per person | -28.3% |
| 1999 | 103.09 constant 2024 US$ per person | +32.1% |
| 2000 | 91.42 constant 2024 US$ per person | -11.3% |
| 2001 | 111.04 constant 2024 US$ per person | +21.5% |
| 2002 | 123.16 constant 2024 US$ per person | +10.9% |
| 2003 | 153.21 constant 2024 US$ per person | +24.4% |
| 2004 | 144.62 constant 2024 US$ per person | -5.6% |
| 2005 | 151.23 constant 2024 US$ per person | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 144.72 constant 2024 US$ per person | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 158.12 constant 2024 US$ per person | +9.3% |
| 2008 | 158.34 constant 2024 US$ per person | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 146.53 constant 2024 US$ per person | -7.5% |
| 2010 | 125.73 constant 2024 US$ per person | -14.2% |
| 2011 | 138.5 constant 2024 US$ per person | +10.2% |
| 2012 | 129.85 constant 2024 US$ per person | -6.2% |
| 2013 | 139.09 constant 2024 US$ per person | +7.1% |
| 2014 | 137.79 constant 2024 US$ per person | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 145.81 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.8% |
| 2016 | 137.15 constant 2024 US$ per person | -5.9% |
| 2017 | 113.23 constant 2024 US$ per person | -17.4% |
| 2018 | 101.58 constant 2024 US$ per person | -10.3% |
| 2019 | 96.56 constant 2024 US$ per person | -4.9% |
| 2020 | 101.12 constant 2024 US$ per person | +4.7% |
| 2021 | 104.7 constant 2024 US$ per person | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 106.24 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 113.21 constant 2024 US$ per person | +6.6% |
| 2024 | 123.11 constant 2024 US$ per person | +8.7% |
| 2025 | 126.36 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.6% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 126.36 constant 2024 US$ per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 101.55 constant 2024 US$ per person, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 126.36 constant 2024 US$ per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 87.22 constant 2024 US$ per person, 1.4× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 42.85 constant 2024 US$ per person | 21.72 constant 2024 US$ per person | 64.48 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 84.04 constant 2024 US$ per person | 71.03 constant 2024 US$ per person | 106 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 111.63 constant 2024 US$ per person | 71.9 constant 2024 US$ per person | 158.91 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 108.72 constant 2024 US$ per person | 78.04 constant 2024 US$ per person | 126.61 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 138.24 constant 2024 US$ per person | 91.42 constant 2024 US$ per person | 158.34 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 126.53 constant 2024 US$ per person | 96.56 constant 2024 US$ per person | 145.81 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 112.46 constant 2024 US$ per person | 101.12 constant 2024 US$ per person | 126.36 constant 2024 US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 70 Ecuador 148.01 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 71 Iraq 136.08 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 72 Gabon 129.92 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 74 Lebanon 125.9 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 75 Namibia 124.89 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 76 Brazil 111.08 constant 2024 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 126.36 constant 2024 US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per capita recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 158.91 constant 2024 US$ per person in 1981.
- What is the lowest military spending, per capita recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.72 constant 2024 US$ per person in 1961.
- How does Malaysia rank for military spending, per capita?
- Malaysia ranks 73rd out of 161 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending, per capita rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.3%. 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 — 66 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 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – 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.