Zimbabwe Military Spending
Zimbabwe spends an estimated 0.4% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $133 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1965–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$137 million
Ranked #131 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
0.4%
Ranked #157 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+3.0%
From $133M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$224 million
Reached in 2002
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Zimbabwe’s last 3 reported years (2023–2025), carried across both estimate years unchanged. The dollar figure is not a per-country forecast — it is the actual SIPRI figure for 2025 raised by a flat 3%, the same rate applied to every country in this group, so it can rise even where the share-of-GDP path falls. Actual SIPRI figures for Zimbabwe run to 2025.
Zimbabwe Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Zimbabwe is estimated to have spent $137 million on military and defense, representing 0.4% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Zimbabwe is the #131 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 3.0%, from $133 million to $137 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 8.5% in 1979. The historical average military budget is 3.0% of GDP.
Data source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database. Values are in constant 2024 US dollars. Data for 2026 is an estimate based on government budget announcements.
Historical Military Spending
Military Spending (% of GDP)
Military Spending (USD Billions, 2024 prices)
Historical Data
| Year | Percent of GDP | USD (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 2027(estimate) | 0.37% | $141M |
| 2026(estimate) | 0.37% | $137M |
| 2025 | 0.56% | $133M |
| 2024 | 0.35% | $98M |
| 2023 | 0.21% | $65M |
| 2022 | 0.99% | $172M |
| 2021 | 1.57% | $193M |
| 2020 | 0.97% | $106M |
| 2019 | 0.65% | $80M |
| 2018 | 1.18% | $87M |
| 2017 | 1.47% | $78M |
| 2016 | 1.74% | $83M |
| 2015 | 1.89% | $86M |
| 2014 | 1.89% | $82M |
| 2013 | 1.87% | $79M |
| 2012 | 1.86% | $72M |
| 2011 | 1.41% | $46M |
| 2010 | 0.82% | $24M |
| 2006 | 1.99% | $30M |
| 2005 | 1.45% | $32M |
| 2004 | 2.71% | $43M |
| 2003 | 2.03% | $70M |
| 2002 | 6.31% | $224M |
| 2001 | 2.55% | $62M |
| 2000 | 3.05% | $47M |
| 1999 | 2.24% | $37M |
| 1998 | 2.53% | $38M |
| 1997 | 3.00% | $28M |
| 1996 | 2.88% | $26M |
| 1995 | 3.18% | $24M |
| 1994 | 3.11% | $27M |
| 1993 | 3.30% | $26M |
| 1992 | 3.80% | $31M |
| 1991 | 3.98% | $38M |
| 1990 | 4.10% | $37M |
| 1989 | 4.93% | $36M |
| 1988 | 5.21% | $35M |
| 1987 | 5.82% | $33M |
| 1986 | 5.50% | $33M |
| 1985 | 5.49% | $33M |
| 1984 | 5.68% | $32M |
| 1983 | 5.56% | $38M |
| 1982 | 5.12% | $35M |
| 1981 | 4.86% | $31M |
| 1980 | 6.63% | $38M |
| 1979 | 8.52% | — |
| 1978 | 7.99% | — |
| 1977 | 6.54% | — |
| 1976 | 4.63% | — |
| 1975 | 3.40% | — |
| 1974 | 2.98% | — |
| 1973 | 2.63% | — |
| 1972 | 2.18% | — |
| 1971 | 2.29% | — |
| 1970 | 2.44% | — |
| 1969 | 2.42% | — |
| 1968 | 2.07% | — |
| 1967 | 1.36% | — |
| 1966 | 1.32% | — |
| 1965 | 1.19% | — |