Military Expenditures (% of GDP) 2001
Military Expenditures as a percentage of GDP highlights national defense spending. Compare countries, explore rankings, and view trends.
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Complete Data Rankings
Rank | ||
|---|---|---|
1 |  Afghanistan | NaN % of GDP |
2 |  Angola | 22 % of GDP |
3 |  Burundi | 6.1 % of GDP |
4 |  Bahrain | 5.2 % of GDP |
5 |  Brunei Darussalam | 5.1 % of GDP |
6 |  Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 4.6 % of GDP |
7 |  Cyprus | 4.2 % of GDP |
8 |  Algeria | 4.1 % of GDP |
9 |  Congo | 3.8 % of GDP |
10 |  Croatia | 3.8 % of GDP |
11 |  Chad | 3.5 % of GDP |
12 |  Colombia | 3.4 % of GDP |
13 |  Chile | 3.1 % of GDP |
14 |  Cambodia | 3 % of GDP |
15 |  Azerbaijan | 2.6 % of GDP |
16 |  Bulgaria | 2.4 % of GDP |
17 |  Central African Republic | 2.2 % of GDP |
18 |  Czech Republic | 2.2 % of GDP |
19 |  Myanmar | 2.1 % of GDP |
20 |  Australia | 1.9 % of GDP |
21 |  Albania | 1.5 % of GDP |
22 |  Antigua and Barbuda | NaN % of GDP |
23 |  Burkina Faso | 2 % of GDP |
24 |  Brazil | 1.9 % of GDP |
25 |  Bangladesh | 1.8 % of GDP |
26 |  Bolivia | 1.8 % of GDP |
27 |  Cameroon | 1.4 % of GDP |
28 |  Denmark | 1.4 % of GDP |
29 |  Argentina | 1.3 % of GDP |
30 |  Canada | 1.3 % of GDP |
31 |  Austria | 1.2 % of GDP |
32 |  Bahamas | NaN % of GDP |
33 |  Barbados | NaN % of GDP |
34 |  Belize | 2.4 % of GDP |
35 |  Belarus | 1.2 % of GDP |
36 |  Belgium | 1.2 % of GDP |
37 |  Benin | 1.2 % of GDP |
38 |  Bermuda | NaN % of GDP |
39 |  Bhutan | NaN % of GDP |
40 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | NaN % of GDP |
41 |  Costa Rica | 1.6 % of GDP |
42 |  Botswana | 1.2 % of GDP |
43 |  China | 1.2 % of GDP |
44 |  Comoros | NaN % of GDP |
45 |  Côte d'Ivoire | 1 % of GDP |
46 |  Cuba | NaN % of GDP |
47 |  Djibouti | 4.5 % of GDP |
48 |  Dominica | NaN % of GDP |
49 |  Eritrea | 29.4 % of GDP |
50 |  North Korea | 25 % of GDP |
51 |  Israel | 9.4 % of GDP |
52 |  Kuwait | 8.7 % of GDP |
53 |  Jordan | 7.8 % of GDP |
54 |  Greece | 4.91 % of GDP |
55 |  Egypt | 4.1 % of GDP |
56 |  Ecuador | 3.4 % of GDP |
57 |  South Korea | 3.2 % of GDP |
58 |  Iran | 2.9 % of GDP |
59 |  Guinea-Bissau | 2.8 % of GDP |
60 |  Ethiopia | 2.5 % of GDP |
61 |  France | 2.5 % of GDP |
62 |  India | 2.5 % of GDP |
63 |  Finland | 2 % of GDP |
64 |  Gambia | 2 % of GDP |
65 |  Kenya | 1.9 % of GDP |
66 |  Guyana | 1.7 % of GDP |
67 |  Italy | 1.7 % of GDP |
68 |  Gabon | 1.6 % of GDP |
69 |  Hungary | 1.6 % of GDP |
70 |  Germany | 1.5 % of GDP |
71 |  Kazakhstan | 1.5 % of GDP |
72 |  Guinea | 1.4 % of GDP |
73 |  Estonia | 1.2 % of GDP |
74 |  Dominican Republic | 1.1 % of GDP |
75 |  Fiji | 1.1 % of GDP |
76 |  Japan | 0.96 % of GDP |
77 |  El Salvador | 0.7 % of GDP |
78 |  Ghana | 0.7 % of GDP |
79 |  Equatorial Guinea | 0.6 % of GDP |
80 |  Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | NaN % of GDP |
81 |  Faroe Islands | NaN % of GDP |
82 |  French Guiana | NaN % of GDP |
83 |  Georgia | 0.59 % of GDP |
84 |  Grenada | NaN % of GDP |
85 |  Guatemala | 0.6 % of GDP |
86 |  Haiti | NaN % of GDP |
87 |  Indonesia | 1.3 % of GDP |
88 |  Ireland | 0.75 % 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 | 13 % of GDP |
94 |  Nigeria | 10 % of GDP |
95 |  Qatar | 10 % of GDP |
96 |  Malta | 5.5 % of GDP |
97 |  New Caledonia | 5.3 % of GDP |
98 |  Lebanon | 4.8 % of GDP |
99 |  Laos | 4.2 % of GDP |
100 |  Morocco | 4 % of GDP |
101 |  Libya | 3.9 % of GDP |
102 |  Pakistan | 3.9 % of GDP |
103 |  Rwanda | 3.2 % of GDP |
104 |  Mauritania | 2.7 % of GDP |
105 |  Namibia | 2.6 % of GDP |
106 |  Portugal | 2.6 % of GDP |
107 |  Mongolia | 2.3 % of GDP |
108 |  Romania | 2.2 % of GDP |
109 |  Norway | 2.1 % of GDP |
110 |  Malaysia | 2.03 % of GDP |
111 |  Liberia | 2 % of GDP |
112 |  Mali | 2 % of GDP |
113 |  Poland | 1.95 % of GDP |
114 |  Peru | 1.9 % of GDP |
115 |  Lithuania | 1.66 % of GDP |
116 |  Netherlands | 1.5 % of GDP |
117 |  Philippines | 1.5 % of GDP |
118 |  Paraguay | 1.4 % of GDP |
119 |  Nicaragua | 1.2 % of GDP |
120 |  New Zealand | 1.1 % of GDP |
121 |  Niger | 1.1 % of GDP |
122 |  Kyrgyzstan | 1 % of GDP |
123 |  Luxembourg | 1 % of GDP |
124 |  Madagascar | 1 % of GDP |
125 |  Republic of Moldova | 1 % of GDP |
126 |  Latvia | 0.9 % of GDP |
127 |  Lesotho | NaN % of GDP |
128 |  Panama | 1.3 % of GDP |
129 |  Nepal | 0.9 % of GDP |
130 |  Malawi | 0.76 % of GDP |
131 |  Maldives | NaN % of GDP |
132 |  Mexico | 1 % of GDP |
133 |  Mozambique | 1 % of GDP |
134 |  Papua New Guinea | 1 % of GDP |
135 |  Mauritius | 0.3 % of GDP |
136 |  Nauru | NaN % of GDP |
137 |  Russia | NaN % of GDP |
138 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis | NaN % of GDP |
139 |  Saint Lucia | 2 % of GDP |
140 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | NaN % of GDP |
141 |  San Marino | NaN % of GDP |
142 |  Samoa | NaN % of GDP |
143 |  Saudi Arabia | 13 % of GDP |
144 |  Yemen | 7.6 % of GDP |
145 |  Syrian Arab Republic | 5.9 % of GDP |
146 |  Eswatini | 4.75 % of GDP |
147 |  Singapore | 4.5 % of GDP |
148 |  Sri Lanka | 4.2 % of GDP |
149 |  Turkmenistan | 3.4 % of GDP |
150 |  United States | 3.2 % of GDP |
151 |  United Arab Emirates | 3.1 % of GDP |
152 |  Zimbabwe | 3.1 % of GDP |
153 |  Seychelles | 2.8 % of GDP |
154 |  Taiwan | 2.8 % of GDP |
155 |  United Kingdom | 2.7 % of GDP |
156 |  Vietnam | 2.5 % of GDP |
157 |  Sweden | 2.1 % of GDP |
158 |  Sierra Leone | 2 % of GDP |
159 |  Togo | 2 % of GDP |
160 |  Uzbekistan | 2 % of GDP |
161 |  Uganda | 1.9 % of GDP |
162 |  Tajikistan | 1.8 % of GDP |
163 |  Zambia | 1.8 % of GDP |
164 |  Slovakia | 1.71 % of GDP |
165 |  Slovenia | 1.7 % of GDP |
166 |  Suriname | 1.6 % of GDP |
167 |  Sao Tome and Principe | 1.5 % of GDP |
168 |  South Africa | 1.5 % of GDP |
169 |  Senegal | 1.4 % of GDP |
170 |  Solomon Islands | NaN % of GDP |
171 |  Somalia | NaN % of GDP |
172 |  Tunisia | 1.5 % of GDP |
173 |  Thailand | 1.4 % of GDP |
174 |  Ukraine | 1.4 % of GDP |
175 |  Switzerland | 1.2 % of GDP |
176 |  Spain | 1.1 % of GDP |
177 |  Uruguay | 0.9 % of GDP |
178 |  Venezuela | 0.9 % of GDP |
179 |  Tanzania | 0.2 % of GDP |
180 |  Tonga | NaN % of GDP |
181 |  Trinidad and Tobago | NaN % of GDP |
182 |  Tuvalu | NaN % of GDP |
183 |  Vanuatu | NaN % of GDP |
- #1Afghanistan
- #2Angola
- #3Burundi
- #4Bahrain
- #5Brunei Darussalam
- #6Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- #7Cyprus
- #8Algeria
- #9Congo
- #10Croatia
Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.
- #183Vanuatu
- #182Tuvalu
- #181Trinidad and Tobago
- #180Tonga
- #179Tanzania
- #178Venezuela
- #177Uruguay
- #176Spain
- #175Switzerland
- #174Ukraine
Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.
Analysis & Context
In 2001, Eritrea led the world in Military Expenditures (% of GDP) with an extraordinary rate of 29.4%, while the global range spanned from 0.20% to 29.40%. The average military expenditure across the 151 countries with data was 3.06%, providing a benchmark for understanding national defense priorities.
High Military Expenditures: Strategic Considerations
The countries with the highest military expenditures as a percentage of GDP in 2001 often reflect their strategic or geopolitical circumstances. Eritrea and North Korea, with expenditures of 29.4% and 25% respectively, are prime examples. Eritrea’s high expenditure can be attributed to ongoing tensions with neighboring Ethiopia, following the Eritrean-Ethiopian War. Similarly, North Korea’s significant military spending aligns with its policy of maintaining a robust military presence as a deterrent against perceived external threats.
In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Oman both allocated 13% of their GDP to military expenditures. This is indicative of their strategic positioning in a region characterized by geopolitical tensions and the need to secure oil resources. The military investments by these nations are driven by both regional security concerns and the necessity to modernize their armed forces.
Low Military Expenditures: Economic and Policy Drivers
At the other end of the spectrum, countries like Tanzania and Mauritius reported military expenditures as low as 0.20% and 0.30% of GDP, respectively. These low percentages often reflect national priorities that favor economic development and social welfare over military spending. For instance, Tanzania, with its focus on poverty reduction and economic growth, allocates minimal resources to defense, aligning with its relatively stable regional environment.
Similarly, Ireland, with a military expenditure of 0.75% of GDP, illustrates a policy of military neutrality and a focus on maintaining a modest defense force. Such countries often rely on diplomatic means and international alliances for security, thereby reducing the need for substantial military budgets.
Significant Year-over-Year Changes
The data for 2001 also highlights significant shifts in military expenditures for certain nations. Nigeria experienced the most dramatic increase, with a rise of 9.30% (1328.6%), reflecting its efforts to stabilize the region amidst internal conflicts and the need to combat insurgency. This surge can be linked to Nigeria's strategic emphasis on maintaining internal security and projecting power within West Africa.
Conversely, Egypt saw a decrease of 4.10% (-50.0%), which may be associated with a shift towards economic reform and development initiatives post-1990s conflicts. Similarly, Mozambique reduced its military expenditure by 3.70% (-78.7%), likely reflecting its transition from a civil war economy to focusing on reconstruction and development efforts.
Global Implications of Military Spending
Understanding the global landscape of military expenditures in 2001 offers insights into the broader implications for international security and economic stability. Countries with high military expenditures often face criticism for diverting resources from essential development projects, whereas those with lower expenditures may risk under-preparedness in the face of emerging threats.
The wide range of military spending as a percentage of GDP highlights the diverse strategic priorities and economic capabilities of countries worldwide. As nations balance defense needs with economic and social objectives, the data from 2001 remains a critical reference point for analyzing current and future trends in military expenditures.
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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