Military Expenditures (% of GDP) 2024

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

166 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	Algeria	9 % of GDP
3	Somalia	6 % of GDP
4	Mali	4 % of GDP
5	Morocco	4 % of GDP
6	Burundi	3.7 % of GDP
7	Djibouti	3.5 % of GDP
8	Chad	2.9 % of GDP
9	Botswana	2.6 % of GDP
10	Mauritania	2.5 % of GDP
11	South Sudan	2.5 % of GDP
12	Guinea	2.2 % of GDP
13	Togo	2.2 % of GDP
14	Congo	2 % of GDP
15	Niger	2 % of GDP
16	Central African Republic	1.8 % of GDP
17	Equatorial Guinea	1.6 % of GDP
18	Seychelles	1.6 % of GDP
19	Lesotho	1.5 % of GDP
20	Mozambique	1.5 % of GDP
21	Senegal	1.5 % of GDP
22	Guinea-Bissau	1.4 % of GDP
23	Rwanda	1.4 % of GDP
24	Angola	1.3 % of GDP
25	Gabon	1.3 % of GDP
26	Congo, Democratic Republic of the	1.2 % of GDP
27	Cameroon	1 % of GDP
28	Egypt	1 % of GDP
29	Ethiopia	1 % of GDP
30	Kenya	1 % of GDP
31	Côte d'Ivoire	0.9 % of GDP
32	Liberia	0.8 % of GDP
33	Madagascar	0.7 % of GDP
34	Malawi	0.7 % of GDP
35	Nigeria	0.7 % of GDP
36	South Africa	0.7 % of GDP
37	Cabo Verde	0.6 % of GDP
38	Gambia	0.6 % of GDP
39	Sierra Leone	0.6 % of GDP
40	Benin	0.5 % of GDP
41	Ghana	0.4 % of GDP
42	Libya	NaN % of GDP
43	Russia	5 % of GDP
44	Cuba	4.2 % of GDP
45	Burkina Faso	4 % of GDP
46	Myanmar	3.9 % of GDP
47	Brunei Darussalam	3 % of GDP
48	Namibia	2.8 % of GDP
49	Uzbekistan	2.8 % of GDP
50	South Korea	2.7 % of GDP
51	Tunisia	2.5 % of GDP
52	Cambodia	2.1 % of GDP
53	Uganda	2 % of GDP
54	Australia	2 % of GDP
55	Turkmenistan	1.9 % of GDP
56	Eswatini	1.6 % of GDP
57	Tonga	1.6 % of GDP
58	Honduras	1.5 % of GDP
59	Kyrgyzstan	1.5 % of GDP
60	China	1.5 % of GDP
61	Zambia	1.4 % of GDP
62	Japan	1.4 % of GDP
63	Tanzania	1.3 % of GDP
64	New Zealand	1.3 % of GDP
65	El Salvador	1.2 % of GDP
66	Jamaica	1.2 % of GDP
67	Tajikistan	1.2 % of GDP
68	Fiji	1.1 % of GDP
69	Panama	1.1 % of GDP
70	Trinidad and Tobago	1 % of GDP
71	Belize	0.9 % of GDP
72	Malaysia	0.9 % of GDP
73	Bahamas	0.8 % of GDP
74	Kazakhstan	0.8 % of GDP
75	Indonesia	0.8 % of GDP
76	Barbados	0.7 % of GDP
77	Costa Rica	0.6 % of GDP
78	Dominican Republic	0.6 % of GDP
79	Nicaragua	0.6 % of GDP
80	Guatemala	0.4 % of GDP
81	Zimbabwe	0.3 % of GDP
82	North Korea	NaN % of GDP
83	Saudi Arabia	7 % of GDP
84	Syrian Arab Republic	6.5 % of GDP
85	Oman	5.5 % of GDP
86	Venezuela	5.2 % of GDP
87	Kuwait	5 % of GDP
88	Azerbaijan	4.5 % of GDP
89	Israel	4.5 % of GDP
90	Jordan	4.5 % of GDP
91	Poland	4.1 % of GDP
92	Ukraine	4 % of GDP
93	United Arab Emirates	4 % of GDP
94	Qatar	4 % of GDP
95	Estonia	3.4 % of GDP
96	United States	3.4 % of GDP
97	Afghanistan	3.3 % of GDP
98	Latvia	3.2 % of GDP
99	Lebanon	3.2 % of GDP
100	Greece	3.1 % of GDP
101	Bahrain	3.1 % of GDP
102	Singapore	3 % of GDP
103	Iraq	3 % of GDP
104	Pakistan	3 % of GDP
105	Lithuania	2.9 % of GDP
106	Colombia	2.9 % of GDP
107	Taiwan	2.5 % of GDP
108	Denmark	2.4 % of GDP
109	Finland	2.4 % of GDP
110	Serbia	2.4 % of GDP
111	Romania	2.3 % of GDP
112	United Kingdom	2.3 % of GDP
113	India	2.3 % of GDP
114	Bulgaria	2.2 % of GDP
115	North Macedonia	2.2 % of GDP
116	Norway	2.2 % of GDP
117	Czech Republic	2.1 % of GDP
118	France	2.1 % of GDP
119	Germany	2.1 % of GDP
120	Hungary	2.1 % of GDP
121	Netherlands	2.1 % of GDP
122	Sweden	2.1 % of GDP
123	Iran	2.1 % of GDP
124	Turkey	2.1 % of GDP
125	Albania	2 % of GDP
126	Slovakia	2 % of GDP
127	Montenegro	2 % of GDP
128	Ecuador	2 % of GDP
129	Vietnam	1.8 % of GDP
130	Cyprus	1.8 % of GDP
131	Croatia	1.8 % of GDP
132	Georgia	1.7 % of GDP
133	Portugal	1.6 % of GDP
134	Sri Lanka	1.6 % of GDP
135	Philippines	1.5 % of GDP
136	Belarus	1.5 % of GDP
137	Italy	1.5 % of GDP
138	Chile	1.5 % of GDP
139	Canada	1.4 % of GDP
140	Thailand	1.3 % of GDP
141	Timor-Leste	1.3 % of GDP
142	Belgium	1.3 % of GDP
143	Luxembourg	1.3 % of GDP
144	Slovenia	1.3 % of GDP
145	Spain	1.3 % of GDP
146	Bolivia	1.2 % of GDP
147	Suriname	1.2 % of GDP
148	Brazil	1.1 % of GDP
149	Austria	1 % of GDP
150	Peru	1 % of GDP
151	Uruguay	1 % of GDP
152	Bangladesh	1 % of GDP
153	Nepal	1 % of GDP
154	Bosnia and Herzegovina	0.8 % of GDP
155	Malta	0.8 % of GDP
156	Argentina	0.8 % of GDP
157	Paraguay	0.8 % of GDP
158	Switzerland	0.7 % of GDP
159	Mongolia	0.6 % of GDP
160	Mexico	0.6 % of GDP
161	Guyana	0.6 % of GDP
162	Republic of Moldova	0.5 % of GDP
163	Papua New Guinea	0.3 % of GDP
164	Laos	0.2 % of GDP
165	Ireland	0.2 % of GDP
166	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 2024, Eritrea leads the world in Military Expenditures (% of GDP) with a rate of 10%, while the global range spans from just 0.20% to 10%. The global average for military spending as a percentage of GDP is 2.07%, providing a benchmark for comparison among the 163 countries with available data.

High Military Expenditure: Strategic and Economic Drivers

Countries with high military expenditures as a percentage of GDP often reflect strategic imperatives or economic conditions that necessitate substantial defense budgets. Eritrea, leading at 10%, has long-standing regional tensions that contribute to its high defense spending. Similarly, Algeria at 9% and Saudi Arabia at 7% are influenced by both geopolitical factors and significant revenues from natural resources, which enable them to allocate substantial funds to defense. These nations often prioritize military readiness due to regional instabilities and historical conflicts.

Low Military Expenditure: Economic Constraints and Strategic Choices

On the other end of the spectrum, countries like Ireland and Laos, each spending just 0.20% of their GDP on military, often reflect different strategic priorities or economic constraints. These nations may prioritize social spending or face economic conditions that limit defense budgets. For instance, Ireland, with a stable geopolitical environment, can afford to allocate fewer resources to military endeavors. Similarly, Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea spend only 0.3%, often due to economic challenges that necessitate prioritizing other sectors over defense.

Significant Year-over-Year Changes: Economic Shifts and Policy Decisions

Analyzing the year-over-year changes reveals significant shifts in military expenditure priorities. Algeria saw the most substantial increase, with a rise of 4.20% to 9%, marking an 87.5% increase, likely driven by strategic military enhancements and regional security concerns. Burundi and Burkina Faso also experienced notable increases of 1.40% and 1.10%, respectively, indicating heightened security investments possibly due to internal or regional instability.

Conversely, Qatar and Pakistan decreased their military expenditures by 1.00% each, equating to reductions of 20% and 25%, respectively. These decreases might reflect strategic shifts towards economic diversification or responses to fiscal constraints. Ethiopia's reduction of 0.70% represents a 41.2% decrease, potentially due to changes in internal security dynamics or budget reallocations to other sectors.

Global Trends and Implications

The global average of 2.07% indicates a moderate level of military expenditure relative to GDP, with substantial variations driven by diverse national priorities and economic capabilities. The median value of 1.60% suggests that while some countries invest heavily in defense, a significant number maintain lower expenditure levels. These patterns are often shaped by a combination of strategic necessity, economic capability, and political priorities.

Understanding these expenditures in the context of global security dynamics reveals how nations balance defense needs with other economic demands. Countries with higher military spending often face unique geopolitical challenges, while those with lower spending may focus on economic growth or social development. The year-over-year changes highlight how nations adapt to evolving security environments and economic conditions, reflecting broader trends in global defense strategies.

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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