Military Expenditures (% of GDP) 1999

Military Expenditures as a percentage of GDP highlights national defense spending. Compare countries, explore rankings, and view trends.

184 data points•Updated 3/28/2026•Global Coverage•CIA World Factbook•

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Complete Data Rankings

Rank
1	Afghanistan	NaN % of GDP
2	Angola	25 % of GDP
3	Croatia	5 % of GDP
4	Congo, Democratic Republic of the	4.6 % of GDP
5	Bahrain	4.5 % of GDP
6	Chad	3.5 % of GDP
7	Chile	2.79 % of GDP
8	Algeria	2.7 % of GDP
9	Albania	2 % of GDP
10	Antigua and Barbuda	NaN % of GDP
11	Brunei Darussalam	6 % of GDP
12	Cyprus	5.4 % of GDP
13	Colombia	4.2 % of GDP
14	Congo	3.8 % of GDP
15	Azerbaijan	2.6 % of GDP
16	Burundi	2.6 % of GDP
17	Cambodia	2.4 % of GDP
18	Bulgaria	2.2 % of GDP
19	Central African Republic	2.2 % of GDP
20	Myanmar	2.1 % of GDP
21	Belarus	2 % of GDP
22	Belize	2 % of GDP
23	Burkina Faso	2 % of GDP
24	Costa Rica	2 % of GDP
25	Australia	1.9 % of GDP
26	Brazil	1.9 % of GDP
27	Bangladesh	1.8 % of GDP
28	Belgium	1.7 % of GDP
29	Argentina	1.4 % of GDP
30	Austria	0.82 % of GDP
31	Bahamas	NaN % of GDP
32	Barbados	NaN % of GDP
33	Benin	1.2 % of GDP
34	Bermuda	NaN % of GDP
35	Bhutan	NaN % of GDP
36	Bolivia	1.8 % of GDP
37	Bosnia and Herzegovina	NaN % of GDP
38	Czech Republic	1.8 % of GDP
39	Denmark	1.6 % of GDP
40	Cameroon	1.4 % of GDP
41	Botswana	1.2 % of GDP
42	Canada	1.2 % of GDP
43	China	NaN % of GDP
44	Comoros	NaN % of GDP
45	Côte d'Ivoire	0.9 % of GDP
46	Cuba	NaN % of GDP
47	Djibouti	4.5 % of GDP
48	Dominica	NaN % of GDP
49	Eritrea	28.6 % of GDP
50	North Korea	25 % of GDP
51	Israel	9.5 % of GDP
52	Egypt	8.2 % of GDP
53	Kuwait	7.9 % of GDP
54	Jordan	7.8 % of GDP
55	Ecuador	3.4 % of GDP
56	South Korea	3.2 % of GDP
57	Iran	2.9 % of GDP
58	Guinea-Bissau	2.8 % of GDP
59	India	2.7 % of GDP
60	Ethiopia	2.5 % of GDP
61	France	2.5 % of GDP
62	Finland	2 % of GDP
63	Gambia	2 % of GDP
64	Italy	1.9 % of GDP
65	Kenya	1.9 % of GDP
66	Guyana	1.7 % of GDP
67	Fiji	1.6 % of GDP
68	Guinea	1.4 % of GDP
69	Hungary	1.4 % of GDP
70	Estonia	1.2 % of GDP
71	Dominican Republic	1.1 % of GDP
72	El Salvador	0.9 % of GDP
73	Equatorial Guinea	NaN % of GDP
74	Falkland Islands (Malvinas)	NaN % of GDP
75	Faroe Islands	NaN % of GDP
76	French Guiana	NaN % of GDP
77	Gabon	1.6 % of GDP
78	Germany	1.5 % of GDP
79	Georgia	1 % of GDP
80	Ireland	1 % of GDP
81	Kazakhstan	1 % of GDP
82	Japan	0.9 % of GDP
83	Ghana	0.7 % of GDP
84	Greece	NaN % of GDP
85	Grenada	NaN % of GDP
86	Guatemala	0.7 % of GDP
87	Haiti	NaN % of GDP
88	Indonesia	1 % of GDP
89	Honduras	0.6 % of GDP
90	Iraq	NaN % of GDP
91	Jamaica	NaN % of GDP
92	Kiribati	NaN % of GDP
93	Oman	11.1 % of GDP
94	Qatar	9.6 % of GDP
95	Lebanon	5 % of GDP
96	Mozambique	4.7 % of GDP
97	Pakistan	4.4 % of GDP
98	Laos	4.2 % of GDP
99	Morocco	3.8 % of GDP
100	Rwanda	3.8 % of GDP
101	Malta	2.7 % of GDP
102	Namibia	2.6 % of GDP
103	Portugal	2.6 % of GDP
104	Mauritania	2.5 % of GDP
105	Romania	2.5 % of GDP
106	North Macedonia	2.2 % of GDP
107	Norway	2.2 % of GDP
108	Poland	2.2 % of GDP
109	Malaysia	2.1 % of GDP
110	Netherlands	2.1 % of GDP
111	Liberia	2 % of GDP
112	Mali	2 % of GDP
113	Mongolia	2 % of GDP
114	Panama	1.6 % of GDP
115	Lithuania	1.5 % of GDP
116	Philippines	1.5 % of GDP
117	Paraguay	1.4 % of GDP
118	Peru	1.4 % of GDP
119	Mexico	1.3 % of GDP
120	Niger	1.1 % of GDP
121	Kyrgyzstan	1 % of GDP
122	Latvia	0.9 % of GDP
123	Lesotho	NaN % of GDP
124	Libya	NaN % of GDP
125	Nicaragua	1.2 % of GDP
126	New Zealand	1.05 % of GDP
127	Madagascar	1 % of GDP
128	Papua New Guinea	1 % of GDP
129	Nepal	0.9 % of GDP
130	Luxembourg	0.8 % of GDP
131	Malawi	0.8 % of GDP
132	Maldives	NaN % of GDP
133	Republic of Moldova	1 % of GDP
134	Mauritius	0.4 % of GDP
135	Nauru	NaN % of GDP
136	New Caledonia	NaN % of GDP
137	Nigeria	0.7 % of GDP
138	Russia	NaN % of GDP
139	Saint Kitts and Nevis	NaN % of GDP
140	Saint Lucia	2 % of GDP
141	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	NaN % of GDP
142	Samoa	NaN % of GDP
143	Saudi Arabia	12 % of GDP
144	Vietnam	9.3 % of GDP
145	Syrian Arab Republic	8 % of GDP
146	Yemen	7.6 % of GDP
147	Singapore	5.1 % of GDP
148	United Arab Emirates	5 % of GDP
149	Zimbabwe	4.6 % of GDP
150	Sri Lanka	4.2 % of GDP
151	United States	3.4 % of GDP
152	Turkmenistan	3 % of GDP
153	Taiwan	2.8 % of GDP
154	United Kingdom	2.6 % of GDP
155	Thailand	2.5 % of GDP
156	South Africa	2.2 % of GDP
157	Sweden	2.2 % of GDP
158	Slovakia	2.1 % of GDP
159	Sierra Leone	2 % of GDP
160	Togo	2 % of GDP
161	Eswatini	1.9 % of GDP
162	Slovenia	1.8 % of GDP
163	Tajikistan	1.8 % of GDP
164	Zambia	1.8 % of GDP
165	Suriname	1.6 % of GDP
166	Sao Tome and Principe	1.5 % of GDP
167	Senegal	1.4 % of GDP
168	Spain	1.4 % of GDP
169	San Marino	1 % of GDP
170	Seychelles	NaN % of GDP
171	Solomon Islands	NaN % of GDP
172	Somalia	NaN % of GDP
173	Uganda	1.9 % of GDP
174	Tunisia	1.5 % of GDP
175	Ukraine	1.4 % of GDP
176	Uzbekistan	1.4 % of GDP
177	Switzerland	1.2 % of GDP
178	Venezuela	1 % of GDP
179	Uruguay	0.9 % of GDP
180	Tanzania	0.2 % of GDP
181	Tonga	NaN % of GDP
182	Trinidad and Tobago	NaN % of GDP
183	Tuvalu	NaN % of GDP
184	Vanuatu	NaN % of GDP

↑Top 10 Countries

Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.

↓Bottom 10 Countries

Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.

Analysis & Context

In 1999, Eritrea led the world in Military Expenditures (% of GDP) with a staggering 28.6%, while the global range spanned from a minimum of 0.20% to a maximum of 28.60%. The global average military expenditure was 3.09% of GDP, providing a benchmark for comparison among the 147 countries with available data.

High Military Expenditure: Geopolitical and Security Influences

Countries with the highest military expenditures as a percentage of GDP often face unique geopolitical and security challenges. Eritrea, with the highest expenditure at 28.6%, has historically been embroiled in regional conflicts, notably with Ethiopia, which necessitates substantial military funding. Similarly, both Angola and North Korea allocate 25% of their GDP to military spending. Angola's expenditure can be linked to its prolonged civil war, while North Korea's militarization is a strategic posture against perceived external threats.

Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and Oman, spending 12% and 11.1% respectively, reflect the region's volatile security dynamics and the need to maintain robust defense capabilities. These expenditures are further influenced by the wealth generated from oil, enabling higher budget allocations to defense without severely impacting other sectors.

Low Expenditure: Economic Constraints and Peaceful Stances

On the other end of the spectrum, countries with the lowest military expenditures focus more on economic development and maintain peaceful stances. Tanzania, with the lowest expenditure at 0.2%, exemplifies a nation prioritizing economic growth over military investment. Similarly, Mauritius and Honduras, spending 0.4% and 0.6% respectively, reflect limited military needs due to their stable geopolitical environments and economic constraints.

Notably, Japan, at 0.9%, aligns with its post-World War II pacifist constitution, which limits military expenditure. This strategic choice allows Japan to allocate more resources towards technological and economic advancements.

Significant Year-over-Year Changes in Military Expenditure

Analyzing year-over-year changes reveals significant shifts in military spending priorities. Vietnam experienced a dramatic increase of 6.60 percentage points, marking a 244.4% rise. This surge could be attributed to modernization efforts and regional security concerns. Qatar also saw a substantial rise of 6.10 percentage points, reflecting its strategic investments in defense amidst regional tensions.

Conversely, Georgia recorded the most significant decrease, with an 88.6% reduction in military expenditure. This reduction aligns with post-conflict stabilization efforts and reallocation of resources towards rebuilding the economy. Similarly, Chad and Angola reduced their military spending by 68.5% and 19.4% respectively, likely due to shifts towards peace processes and economic diversification.

Economic Implications of Military Expenditure Levels

The wide range in military expenditures as a percentage of GDP has profound economic implications. High military spending can strain national budgets, diverting funds from critical sectors such as education and healthcare. For instance, Saudi Arabia and Oman, despite their substantial oil revenues, face challenges in balancing defense spending with economic diversification efforts.

In contrast, countries with lower military expenditures, such as Nigeria at 0.7%, can allocate more resources towards infrastructure and social services, fostering economic growth. However, this also requires maintaining stability and security through diplomatic means and regional cooperation.

Overall, the 1999 data on military expenditures as a percentage of GDP highlights the diverse strategies countries adopt based on their unique geopolitical, economic, and security contexts. Understanding these patterns provides valuable insights into national priorities and the potential trade-offs between defense and development.

Data Source

CIA World Factbook

The World Factbook, also known as the CIA World Factbook, was a reference resource produced by the US Central Intelligence Agency between 1962 and 2026 with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. From 1971 it was not classified, and available to the public in print since 1975, initially by the CIA, and later the Government Publishing Office.

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Historical Data by Year

Explore Military Expenditures (% of GDP) data across different years. Compare trends and see how statistics have changed over time.

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