Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Tanzania
Tanzania: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 1.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Military expenditure in Tanzania, 1967–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure in Tanzania stood at 1.2%.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Tanzania peaked at 10.1% in 1978 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 2008.
Tanzania ranks 115th of 167 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 1.4% | — |
| 1968 | 1.5% | +3.5% |
| 1969 | 1.7% | +17.8% |
| 1970 | 2.3% | +32.6% |
| 1971 | 3.1% | +34.7% |
| 1972 | 3.4% | +10.8% |
| 1973 | 4.2% | +21.6% |
| 1974 | 5.4% | +28.3% |
| 1975 | 5.4% | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 4.7% | -12.5% |
| 1977 | 5.5% | +16.8% |
| 1978 | 10.1% | +84.6% |
| 1979 | 8.5% | -15.9% |
| 1980 | 4.5% | -46.8% |
| 1981 | 5.6% | +23.5% |
| 1982 | 5.5% | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 5.4% | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 5.2% | -3.1% |
| 1985 | 5.4% | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 5.7% | +6.6% |
| 1987 | 3.2% | -45.1% |
| 1988 | 2.4% | -22.3% |
| 1989 | 2.4% | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 2.0% | -14.1% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | +6.6% |
| 1992 | 2.1% | -3.5% |
| 1993 | 1.4% | -34.5% |
| 1994 | 1.3% | -6.2% |
| 1995 | 1.6% | +25.7% |
| 1996 | 1.6% | -4.4% |
| 1997 | 1.5% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 1.6% | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 1.5% | -7.1% |
| 2000 | 1.5% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.5% | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 1.3% | -10.3% |
| 2003 | 1.1% | -17.5% |
| 2004 | 1.0% | -7.4% |
| 2005 | 0.8% | -17.2% |
| 2006 | 0.8% | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 0.8% | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | -8.4% |
| 2009 | 0.8% | +8.4% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | +18.3% |
| 2011 | 0.9% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 0.9% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 1.0% | +6.4% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 1.1% | +7.4% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 1.1% | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 1.1% | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 1.1% | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 1.1% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | +6.1% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | -4.4% |
| 2025 | 1.2% | -1.4% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 1.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.5%, 79% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 1.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.3%, 89% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Tanzania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +84.6% | 5.5% | 10.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.7% | 3 |
| 1970s | 5.2% | 2.3% | 10.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.5% | 2.4% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | 1.3% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More public sector data for Tanzania
- 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 4.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.8276 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2021)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0007 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2021)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 550 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Tanzania?
- Military expenditure in Tanzania was 1.2% in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 10.1% in 1978.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 2008.
- How does Tanzania rank for military expenditure?
- Tanzania ranks 115th out of 167 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Tanzania 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