Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Malta
Malta: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 0.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
0.4%
Change on year
up 20.0%
World rank
157th
of 167 countries
All-time high
1.5%
in 1987
All-time low
0.4%
in 2024
Years of data
41
1985–2025
Military expenditure in Malta, 1985–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military expenditure in Malta is 0.4%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 20.0% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Malta peaked at 1.5% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 2024.
Malta ranks 157th of 167 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Malta, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 1.3% | — |
| 1986 | 1.3% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 1.5% | +14.7% |
| 1988 | 1.2% | -16.2% |
| 1989 | 1.1% | -9.2% |
| 1990 | 0.9% | -17.4% |
| 1991 | 0.9% | -4.8% |
| 1992 | 1.0% | +11.7% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 1.0% | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 0.8% | -18.0% |
| 1996 | 0.9% | +3.7% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | -5.6% |
| 1998 | 0.7% | -11.8% |
| 1999 | 0.7% | -6.1% |
| 2000 | 0.6% | -7.7% |
| 2001 | 0.7% | +6.1% |
| 2002 | 0.6% | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 0.8% | +23.9% |
| 2006 | 0.7% | -20.3% |
| 2007 | 0.6% | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 0.6% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | +10.3% |
| 2010 | 0.6% | -4.5% |
| 2011 | 0.6% | -11.5% |
| 2012 | 0.5% | -9.1% |
| 2013 | 0.5% | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 0.5% | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | +8.7% |
| 2017 | 0.5% | -8.0% |
| 2018 | 0.4% | -9.3% |
| 2019 | 0.5% | +18.6% |
| 2020 | 0.5% | +7.3% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | -15.4% |
| 2022 | 0.4% | -5.8% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | -10.2% |
| 2024 | 0.4% | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 0.4% | +20.0% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 0.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.1%, 22% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Malta's 0.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.6%, 13% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 5 |
| 1990s | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malta
- 154 Guatemala 0.5% compare
- 155 Ethiopia 0.5% compare
- 156 Ghana 0.5% compare
- 158 Kazakhstan 0.4% compare
- 159 Sierra Leone 0.4% compare
- 160 Papua New Guinea 0.4% compare
More public sector data for Malta
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 45.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 81.41 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.002 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 33.33 % change on previous year (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Malta?
- Military expenditure in Malta was 0.4% in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 1.5% in 1987.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 2024.
- How does Malta rank for military expenditure?
- Malta ranks 157th out of 167 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malta data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure by country as percentage of gross domestic product