Military Expenditures (% of GDP) 2023

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

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

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Complete Data Rankings

Rank
1	Eritrea	10 % of GDP
2	Somalia	6 % of GDP
3	Algeria	4.8 % of GDP
4	Morocco	4.5 % of GDP
5	Djibouti	3.5 % of GDP
6	Mali	3.5 % of GDP
7	Botswana	2.8 % of GDP
8	Chad	2.5 % of GDP
9	Mauritania	2.5 % of GDP
10	South Sudan	2.5 % of GDP
11	Burundi	2.3 % of GDP
12	Togo	2.1 % of GDP
13	Congo	1.8 % of GDP
14	Guinea	1.8 % of GDP
15	Central African Republic	1.7 % of GDP
16	Ethiopia	1.7 % of GDP
17	Niger	1.7 % of GDP
18	Lesotho	1.6 % of GDP
19	Guinea-Bissau	1.6 % of GDP
20	Senegal	1.6 % of GDP
21	Rwanda	1.4 % of GDP
22	Seychelles	1.4 % of GDP
23	Angola	1.3 % of GDP
24	Gabon	1.3 % of GDP
25	Egypt	1.2 % of GDP
26	Mozambique	1.2 % of GDP
27	Equatorial Guinea	1.1 % of GDP
28	Kenya	1.1 % of GDP
29	Cameroon	1 % of GDP
30	Côte d'Ivoire	0.9 % of GDP
31	Liberia	0.8 % of GDP
32	Benin	0.7 % of GDP
33	Gambia	0.7 % of GDP
34	Madagascar	0.7 % of GDP
35	Malawi	0.7 % of GDP
36	South Africa	0.7 % of GDP
37	Congo, Democratic Republic of the	0.6 % of GDP
38	Nigeria	0.6 % of GDP
39	Sierra Leone	0.6 % of GDP
40	Cabo Verde	0.5 % of GDP
41	Ghana	0.4 % of GDP
42	Libya	NaN % of GDP
43	Cuba	4.2 % of GDP
44	Russia	4 % of GDP
45	Namibia	3 % of GDP
46	Myanmar	3 % of GDP
47	Burkina Faso	2.9 % of GDP
48	Uzbekistan	2.8 % of GDP
49	Tunisia	2.7 % of GDP
50	South Korea	2.6 % of GDP
51	Brunei Darussalam	2.5 % of GDP
52	Uganda	2.2 % of GDP
53	Cambodia	2.1 % of GDP
54	Australia	2 % of GDP
55	Turkmenistan	1.9 % of GDP
56	Eswatini	1.7 % of GDP
57	Tonga	1.6 % of GDP
58	Kyrgyzstan	1.5 % of GDP
59	China	1.5 % of GDP
60	New Zealand	1.4 % of GDP
61	Honduras	1.4 % of GDP
62	Jamaica	1.3 % of GDP
63	Tanzania	1.2 % of GDP
64	Zambia	1.2 % of GDP
65	Fiji	1.2 % of GDP
66	El Salvador	1.2 % of GDP
67	Panama	1.2 % of GDP
68	Belize	1.1 % of GDP
69	Trinidad and Tobago	1.1 % of GDP
70	Tajikistan	1.1 % of GDP
71	Japan	1.1 % of GDP
72	Malaysia	1.1 % of GDP
73	Barbados	0.8 % of GDP
74	Bahamas	0.8 % of GDP
75	Indonesia	0.8 % of GDP
76	Dominican Republic	0.7 % of GDP
77	Kazakhstan	0.7 % of GDP
78	Costa Rica	0.6 % of GDP
79	Nicaragua	0.6 % of GDP
80	Zimbabwe	0.5 % of GDP
81	Guatemala	0.5 % of GDP
82	North Korea	NaN % of GDP
83	Syrian Arab Republic	6.5 % of GDP
84	Saudi Arabia	6 % of GDP
85	Oman	5.5 % of GDP
86	Venezuela	5.2 % of GDP
87	Qatar	5 % of GDP
88	Azerbaijan	4.5 % of GDP
89	Israel	4.5 % of GDP
90	Jordan	4.5 % of GDP
91	Kuwait	4.5 % of GDP
92	Ukraine	4 % of GDP
93	United Arab Emirates	4 % of GDP
94	Pakistan	4 % of GDP
95	Poland	3.9 % of GDP
96	United States	3.5 % of GDP
97	Afghanistan	3.3 % of GDP
98	Bahrain	3.2 % of GDP
99	Lebanon	3.2 % of GDP
100	Singapore	3 % of GDP
101	Greece	3 % of GDP
102	Colombia	3 % of GDP
103	Estonia	2.7 % of GDP
104	Finland	2.5 % of GDP
105	Lithuania	2.5 % of GDP
106	Iran	2.5 % of GDP
107	Hungary	2.4 % of GDP
108	Romania	2.4 % of GDP
109	Vietnam	2.3 % of GDP
110	Latvia	2.3 % of GDP
111	Serbia	2.2 % of GDP
112	Taiwan	2.1 % of GDP
113	United Kingdom	2.1 % of GDP
114	Iraq	2.1 % of GDP
115	Cyprus	2 % of GDP
116	Slovakia	2 % of GDP
117	Ecuador	2 % of GDP
118	India	2 % of GDP
119	France	1.9 % of GDP
120	Montenegro	1.9 % of GDP
121	North Macedonia	1.9 % of GDP
122	Timor-Leste	1.8 % of GDP
123	Albania	1.8 % of GDP
124	Bulgaria	1.8 % of GDP
125	Croatia	1.8 % of GDP
126	Denmark	1.7 % of GDP
127	Netherlands	1.7 % of GDP
128	Norway	1.7 % of GDP
129	Sri Lanka	1.7 % of GDP
130	Germany	1.6 % of GDP
131	Chile	1.6 % of GDP
132	Czech Republic	1.5 % of GDP
133	Italy	1.5 % of GDP
134	Portugal	1.5 % of GDP
135	Sweden	1.5 % of GDP
136	Slovenia	1.4 % of GDP
137	Georgia	1.4 % of GDP
138	Canada	1.4 % of GDP
139	Thailand	1.3 % of GDP
140	Spain	1.3 % of GDP
141	Turkey	1.3 % of GDP
142	Suriname	1.2 % of GDP
143	Peru	1.1 % of GDP
144	Bangladesh	1.1 % of GDP
145	Nepal	1.1 % of GDP
146	Uruguay	1 % of GDP
147	Paraguay	0.8 % of GDP
148	Switzerland	0.7 % of GDP
149	Yemen	NaN % of GDP
150	Bolivia	1.3 % of GDP
151	Philippines	1.2 % of GDP
152	Brazil	1.2 % of GDP
153	Belgium	1.13 % of GDP
154	Belarus	1.1 % of GDP
155	Bosnia and Herzegovina	0.8 % of GDP
156	Malta	0.8 % of GDP
157	Austria	0.7 % of GDP
158	Luxembourg	0.7 % of GDP
159	Mexico	0.7 % of GDP
160	Mongolia	0.6 % of GDP
161	Argentina	0.6 % of GDP
162	Guyana	0.6 % of GDP
163	Republic of Moldova	0.4 % of GDP
164	Papua New Guinea	0.3 % of GDP
165	Ireland	0.3 % of GDP
166	Laos	0.2 % of GDP
167	Maldives	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 2023, Eritrea leads the world in Military Expenditures (% of GDP) with a staggering 10%. The global range for this metric spans from a minimum of 0.20% to a maximum of 10%. The average Military Expenditure across the 163 countries with available data is 1.96%, providing a benchmark for global defense spending.

High Military Expenditure: Strategic and Economic Implications

Countries with high Military Expenditures as a percentage of GDP often reflect strategic priorities and regional security concerns. Eritrea, with the highest expenditure at 10%, and the Syrian Arab Republic at 6.5%, are indicative of ongoing or recent conflict situations where defense spending is prioritized over other economic needs. Saudi Arabia and Somalia follow closely with 6% each, driven by geopolitical tensions and internal security challenges.

In contrast, Oman and Venezuela, with expenditures of 5.5% and 5.2% respectively, exhibit high military spending as a continuation of longstanding military investment policies. These countries often allocate significant resources to defense to maintain regional influence or safeguard against perceived threats.

Low Military Expenditure: Economic and Policy Choices

At the other end of the spectrum, countries like Laos and Ireland report the lowest military expenditures at 0.20% and 0.30% respectively. These figures suggest a strategic choice to prioritize other areas of economic development over defense, possibly due to stable geopolitical environments and diplomatic policies that minimize military engagement.

Similarly, Papua New Guinea and the Republic of Moldova maintain low expenditures of 0.30% and 0.40%. These countries often rely on international alliances and diplomatic measures for security, reducing the need for substantial military investment.

Year-Over-Year Trends: Significant Movers

The year-over-year trends reveal dynamic changes in military spending priorities. Poland experienced the largest increase, with a rise of 1.50% or 62.5%, likely driven by heightened security concerns in Eastern Europe. Ethiopia saw a dramatic 240% increase to 1.20%, reflecting increased defense needs amid internal conflicts.

Conversely, Oman and Kuwait reported significant decreases of 2.50% and 2.30%, respectively, highlighting shifts towards economic diversification and reduced military dependency. The United Arab Emirates also saw a decrease of 28.6%, aligning with broader regional trends towards economic reform and reduced military expenditures.

Global Averages and Regional Variations

The global average Military Expenditure of 1.96% reflects varied national priorities and economic capacities. While countries like Israel and Azerbaijan, both at 4.5%, maintain higher-than-average spending due to regional security dynamics, others like Ghana and Guatemala at 0.4% and 0.5% respectively, focus on economic growth and social development.

These variations underscore the influence of geopolitical landscapes, historical contexts, and economic strategies on defense budgets. Countries with higher expenditures often face direct security threats or have strategic military objectives, whereas those with lower expenditures may benefit from peaceful regional relations and prioritize economic stability.

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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