Military spending, per unit of GDP in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Military spending, per unit of GDP was 0.0026 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Military spending, per unit of GDP in Zimbabwe, 1980–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending, per unit of gdp in Zimbabwe is 0.0026 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.0% on the previous year and down 39.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per unit of gdp in Zimbabwe peaked at 0.0353 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2002 and was at its lowest, 0.0015 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, in 2017.
Zimbabwe ranks 153rd 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 Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.0056 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1981 | 0.0039 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -30.5% |
| 1982 | 0.0041 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.7% |
| 1983 | 0.0049 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +18.6% |
| 1984 | 0.0051 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.0% |
| 1985 | 0.0058 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +15.1% |
| 1986 | 0.0053 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -9.4% |
| 1987 | 0.0049 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.2% |
| 1988 | 0.0045 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -9.6% |
| 1989 | 0.0044 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.5% |
| 1990 | 0.0042 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.2% |
| 1991 | 0.0044 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.7% |
| 1992 | 0.0046 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 0.004 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.6% |
| 1994 | 0.0039 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 0.0034 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -10.8% |
| 1996 | 0.003 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.0% |
| 1997 | 0.0032 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +8.1% |
| 1998 | 0.0059 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +81.9% |
| 1999 | 0.0055 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.2% |
| 2000 | 0.007 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +29.0% |
| 2001 | 0.0092 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +30.1% |
| 2002 | 0.0353 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +284.9% |
| 2003 | 0.0123 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -65.2% |
| 2004 | 0.0075 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -39.3% |
| 2005 | 0.0056 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -24.4% |
| 2006 | 0.0055 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 0.002 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -64.2% |
| 2011 | 0.0033 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +66.6% |
| 2012 | 0.0042 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +27.4% |
| 2013 | 0.0041 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 0.0042 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 0.0043 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 0.004 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.2% |
| 2017 | 0.0015 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -62.0% |
| 2018 | 0.0026 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +66.8% |
| 2019 | 0.0024 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.3% |
| 2020 | 0.0033 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +37.8% |
| 2021 | 0.0047 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +41.8% |
| 2022 | 0.0042 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -10.0% |
| 2023 | 0.0018 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -57.0% |
| 2024 | 0.0024 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +31.0% |
| 2025 | 0.0026 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +10.0% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 0.0026 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.0124 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, 21% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 0.0026 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, 22% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending, per unit of GDP in Zimbabwe changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +284.9% | 0.0092 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0353 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0048 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0039 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0058 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0042 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.003 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0059 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0118 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0055 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0353 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 7 |
| 2010s | 0.0033 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0015 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0043 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0032 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0018 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0047 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 150 Sierra Leone 0.004 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 151 Ghana 0.0034 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 152 Papua New Guinea 0.0034 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 154 Ireland 0.002 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 155 Laos 0.0018 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 156 Mauritius 0.0014 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
More reference data data for Zimbabwe
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2024)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 122.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 11,077 2010 = 100 (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending, per unit of gdp in Zimbabwe?
- Military spending, per unit of gdp in Zimbabwe was 0.0026 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0353 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2002.
- What is the lowest military spending, per unit of gdp recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0015 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2017.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for military spending, per unit of gdp?
- Zimbabwe ranks 153rd out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending, per unit of gdp rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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 — 43 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.