What is the difference in military expenditure between Botswana and Zambia?

1.90 billion current LCU, with Zambia ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Botswana and Zambia?

37 years are reported by both, from 1984 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as Military expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Botswana vs Zambia: Military expenditure (current LCU)

Botswana

8.34 billion current LCU

in 2025

Zambia

10.24 billion current LCU

in 2025

Botswana rank

107th

Zambia rank

104th

Military expenditure (current LCU) over time

Botswana
Zambia

How they compare

Zambia currently reports 10.24 billion current LCU against 8.34 billion current LCU in Botswana, a difference of 1.90 billion current LCU.

That makes Zambia's figure about 1.2 times Botswana's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 37 shared years of data; in 1984 it was Botswana ahead.

Botswana ranks 107th and Zambia ranks 104th of 168 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, Botswana averaged higher in 4 and Zambia in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Botswana	Zambia	Difference	Ahead
1980s	106.80 million current LCU	744,000 current LCU	106.06 million current LCU	Botswana
1990s	468.80 million current LCU	41.81 million current LCU	426.98 million current LCU	Botswana
2000s	1.84 billion current LCU	820.10 million current LCU	1.02 billion current LCU	Botswana
2010s	3.85 billion current LCU	2.67 billion current LCU	1.19 billion current LCU	Botswana
2020s	6.35 billion current LCU	6.76 billion current LCU	408.02 million current LCU	Zambia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher military expenditure, Botswana or Zambia?: Zambia, at 10.24 billion current LCU against 8.34 billion current LCU in Botswana as of 2025.
What is the difference in military expenditure between Botswana and Zambia?: 1.90 billion current LCU, with Zambia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Botswana and Zambia?: 37 years are reported by both, from 1984 to 2025.
How do Botswana and Zambia rank globally for military expenditure?: Botswana ranks 107th and Zambia ranks 104th of 168 countries.
Where does this data come from?: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as Military expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Botswana vs Zambia: Military expenditure. Statizoid, drawing on SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/military-expenditure-current-lcu/botswana/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator: Military expenditure (current LCU)
Unit: current LCU
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 168 places, 8,396 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed: 29 October 2026

Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)