Military spending, per unit of GDP in Malawi
Malawi: Military spending, per unit of GDP was 0.0086 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.0086 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP
Change on year
down 17.5%
World rank
123rd
of 160 countries
All-time high
0.0302 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 1980
All-time low
0.0029 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 2002
Years of data
46
1980–2025
Military spending, per unit of GDP in Malawi, 1980–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 0.0086 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP for military spending, per unit of gdp in 2025.
That represents a change of down 17.5% on the previous year and up 64.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per unit of gdp in Malawi peaked at 0.0302 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1980 and was at its lowest, 0.0029 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, in 2002.
Malawi ranks 123rd of 160 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending, per unit of GDP in Malawi, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.0302 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1981 | 0.0216 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -28.5% |
| 1982 | 0.017 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -21.1% |
| 1983 | 0.0132 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -22.1% |
| 1984 | 0.0114 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.9% |
| 1985 | 0.0141 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +23.6% |
| 1986 | 0.016 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +13.3% |
| 1987 | 0.0132 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -17.0% |
| 1988 | 0.0092 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -30.8% |
| 1989 | 0.0086 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.1% |
| 1990 | 0.0069 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -20.2% |
| 1991 | 0.0052 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -24.1% |
| 1992 | 0.0071 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +35.4% |
| 1993 | 0.0062 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -11.8% |
| 1994 | 0.0107 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +71.2% |
| 1995 | 0.0056 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -47.7% |
| 1996 | 0.0045 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -18.7% |
| 1997 | 0.005 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +10.5% |
| 1998 | 0.0061 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +21.4% |
| 1999 | 0.0058 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 0.005 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.6% |
| 2001 | 0.0055 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +8.5% |
| 2002 | 0.0029 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -46.9% |
| 2003 | 0.0033 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +11.9% |
| 2004 | 0.005 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +55.0% |
| 2005 | 0.0079 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +55.9% |
| 2006 | 0.0059 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -25.0% |
| 2007 | 0.0055 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.1% |
| 2008 | 0.0056 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 0.0059 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 0.0044 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -24.9% |
| 2011 | 0.0039 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -11.2% |
| 2012 | 0.006 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +52.3% |
| 2013 | 0.0102 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +71.2% |
| 2014 | 0.0069 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -32.4% |
| 2015 | 0.0052 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -24.3% |
| 2016 | 0.0062 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +18.4% |
| 2017 | 0.0068 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +9.4% |
| 2018 | 0.0067 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 0.008 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +19.8% |
| 2020 | 0.0082 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 0.007 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.9% |
| 2022 | 0.0087 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +24.4% |
| 2023 | 0.0098 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +11.6% |
| 2024 | 0.0104 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.5% |
| 2025 | 0.0086 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -17.5% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 0.0086 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.0148 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, 58% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 0.0086 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.0119 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, 72% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0154 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0086 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0302 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0063 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0045 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0107 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0052 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0029 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0079 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0064 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0039 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0102 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0088 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.007 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0104 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 120 Bolivia 0.0088 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 121 Trinidad and Tobago 0.0088 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 122 Equatorial Guinea 0.0088 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 124 Mongolia 0.0084 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 125 Guinea-Bissau 0.0083 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 126 Benin 0.0083 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
More reference data data for Malawi
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1596 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3426 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5353 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.6012 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 16.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.87 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending, per unit of gdp in Malawi?
- Military spending, per unit of gdp in Malawi was 0.0086 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per unit of gdp recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0302 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1980.
- What is the lowest military spending, per unit of gdp recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0029 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2002.
- How does Malawi rank for military spending, per unit of gdp?
- Malawi ranks 123rd out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending, per unit of gdp rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 64.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military spending, per unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Military spending divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military spending ÷ GDP (current US$)
Computed from
- Military spending Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- GDP Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
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 GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.