Zambia: Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values)

Key figures

Over five years it is down 97.67% from 43 million in 2019 (52.87% a year on average, compounded). Since 1964 it is down 85.71% from 7 million in 1964 (3.19% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 25 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2024, Zambia's arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) fell 4 million on 2023 (from 5 million to 1 million).

Across the 25 yearly changes before that (1965 to 2023), the average change was +4.04 million and a typical year strayed about 76.11 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 161 million in 1971 and the biggest yearly fall was 210 million in 1982. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is downward, about 4.12 million a year. A straight line explains 45% of the movement over 9 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Zambia had the 22nd highest value of the 23 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Zambia in the 2024 ranking

• Gabon — 19th of 23: 6 million
• Libya — 20th of 23: 5 million
• Malawi — 21st of 23: 2 million
• Bolivia — 23rd of 23: 0

What this measures

Arms transfers (imports) cover the volume of transfers of major arms through sales and gifts, and those made through manufacturing licenses. Data cover major conventional weapons such as aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery, radar systems, missiles, and ships. Figures are SIPRI Trend Indicator Values (TIVs). A '0' indicates that the volume of deliveries is between 0 and 0.5 million SIPRI TIV.

Limitations: SIPRI calculates the volume of transfers to, from and between all parties using the TIV and the number of weapon systems or subsystems delivered in a given year. This data is intended to provide a common unit to allow the measurement if trends in the flow of arms to particular countries and regions over time. Therefore, the main priority is to ensure that the TIV system remains consistent over time, and that any changes introduced are backdated. SIPRI TIV figures do not represent sales prices for arms transfers.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 36 values

Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in nearby economies

• Angola — 84 million (2025)
• Benin — 4 million (2025)
• Botswana — 11 million (2024)
• Burkina Faso — 34 million (2025)
• Burundi — 2 million (2019)
• Cameroon — 2 million (2023)
• Central African Republic — 43 million (2023)
• Chad — 4 million (2025)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 44 million (2025)
• Congo, Rep. — 9 million (2024)

More public sector data for Zambia

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 405.86 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 10.24 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 1.26% (2025)
• Grants and other revenue (current LCU) — 42.28 billion (2024)
• Grants and other revenue (% of revenue) — 25.32% (2024)
• Revenue, excluding grants (current LCU) — 154.97 billion (2024)
• Revenue, excluding grants (% of GDP) — 23.41% (2024)
• Taxes on international trade (current LCU) — 8.86 billion (2024)
• Taxes on international trade (% of revenue) — 5.31% (2024)
• Tax revenue (current LCU) — 124.68 billion (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Zambia's arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values)?

1 million in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1964?

It is down 85.71% from 7 million in 1964 (3.19% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 253 million in 1981 and the lowest 0 in 2005.

How does Zambia rank?

22nd highest of 23 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) unusual for Zambia?

In 2024, Zambia's arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) fell 4 million on 2023 (from 5 million to 1 million). Across the 25 yearly changes before that (1965 to 2023), the average change was +4.04 million and a typical year strayed about 76.11 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator MS.MIL.MPRT.KD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), uri: https://armstransfers.sipri.org/ArmsTransfer/ Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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