Military expenditure in Malawi

Malawi: Military expenditure was 3.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
3.5%
Change on year
down 14.9%
World rank
123rd
of 161 countries
All-time high
4.3%
in 2005
All-time low
1.9%
in 2003
Years of data
23
2002–2024

Military expenditure in Malawi, 2002–2024

012342002201320242002: 2.2 % of general government expenditure2003: 1.9 % of general government expenditure2004: 2.6 % of general government expenditure2005: 4.3 % of general government expenditure2006: 3.1 % of general government expenditure2007: 2.6 % of general government expenditure2008: 2.9 % of general government expenditure2009: 3.3 % of general government expenditure2010: 2.6 % of general government expenditure2011: 2.8 % of general government expenditure2012: 2.9 % of general government expenditure2013: 3.9 % of general government expenditure2014: 3.2 % of general government expenditure2015: 2.3 % of general government expenditure2016: 2.3 % of general government expenditure2017: 2.5 % of general government expenditure2018: 3 % of general government expenditure2019: 3.9 % of general government expenditure2020: 3.7 % of general government expenditure2021: 3.1 % of general government expenditure2022: 3.5 % of general government expenditure2023: 4.1 % of general government expenditure2024: 3.5 % of general government expenditure

Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of general government expenditure.

Analysis

The most recent figure for military expenditure in Malawi is 3.5%, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of down 14.9% on the previous year and up 10.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, military expenditure in Malawi peaked at 4.3% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 2003.

Malawi ranks 123rd of 161 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.

Military expenditure in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in Malawi, 2002 to 2024.
Year % of general government expenditure Change
2002 2.2%
2003 1.9% -13.3%
2004 2.6% +38.6%
2005 4.3% +62.9%
2006 3.1% -27.2%
2007 2.6% -16.1%
2008 2.9% +10.7%
2009 3.3% +16.3%
2010 2.6% -22.2%
2011 2.8% +5.9%
2012 2.9% +5.1%
2013 3.9% +34.9%
2014 3.2% -18.7%
2015 2.3% -27.3%
2016 2.3% -0.9%
2017 2.5% +10.3%
2018 3.0% +20.4%
2019 3.9% +29.5%
2020 3.7% -6.8%
2021 3.1% -15.9%
2022 3.5% +13.3%
2023 4.1% +17.5%
2024 3.5% -14.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 2.9% 1.9% 4.3% 8
2010s 2.9% 2.3% 3.9% 10
2020s 3.6% 3.1% 4.1% 5

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 120 Côte d'Ivoire 3.7% compare
  2. 121 France 3.6% compare
  3. 122 Portugal 3.6% compare
  4. 124 Seychelles 3.4% compare
  5. 125 Japan 3.3% compare
  6. 126 Liberia 3.2% compare

See the full ranking of 204 places →

More public sector data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is military expenditure in Malawi?
Military expenditure in Malawi was 3.5% in 2024, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 4.3% in 2005.
What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 2003.
How does Malawi rank for military expenditure?
Malawi ranks 123rd out of 161 countries with data for 2024.
Is military expenditure rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is up 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Military expenditure in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/military-expenditure-percent-of-general-government-expenditure/malawi/

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About this data

Indicator
Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure)
Unit
% of general government expenditure
Source
SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
204 places, 5,828 data points, 1988–2024
Last refreshed

Military expenditure expressed as a percentage of general government expenditure