Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in Malta
Malta: Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) was 1.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Military expenditure in Malta, 2000–2025
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 Malta is 1.3%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 25.6% on the previous year and up 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Malta peaked at 1.9% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 2024.
Malta ranks 158th of 164 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in Malta, year by year
| Year | % of general government expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.5% | — |
| 2001 | 1.5% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 1.5% | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 1.4% | -5.3% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | +14.3% |
| 2005 | 1.9% | +22.3% |
| 2006 | 1.5% | -20.0% |
| 2007 | 1.5% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 1.5% | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 1.7% | +13.0% |
| 2010 | 1.6% | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | -14.6% |
| 2012 | 1.3% | -9.6% |
| 2013 | 1.2% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 1.2% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | +16.0% |
| 2017 | 1.4% | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | -13.3% |
| 2019 | 1.4% | +17.3% |
| 2020 | 1.3% | -11.1% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | -10.2% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 1.0% | -4.5% |
| 2024 | 1.0% | -4.0% |
| 2025 | 1.3% | +25.6% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 1.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.8%, 26% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Malta's 1.3% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 12.3%, 10% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malta
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 1.3% 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 1.9% in 2005.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 2024.
- How does Malta rank for military expenditure?
- Malta ranks 158th out of 164 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.0%. 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 general government expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure expressed as a percentage of general government expenditure