Military Expenditures (% of GDP) 2025

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	8 % of GDP
3	Somalia	6 % of GDP
4	Mali	4.3 % of GDP
5	Morocco	4 % of GDP
6	Burundi	3.5 % of GDP
7	Djibouti	3.5 % of GDP
8	Botswana	3 % of GDP
9	Chad	3 % of GDP
10	Central African Republic	2.5 % of GDP
11	Mauritania	2.4 % of GDP
12	Niger	2.2 % of GDP
13	Togo	2.2 % of GDP
14	Guinea	2.1 % of GDP
15	Mozambique	2 % of GDP
16	South Sudan	2 % of GDP
17	Senegal	1.6 % of GDP
18	Gabon	1.5 % of GDP
19	Lesotho	1.5 % of GDP
20	Seychelles	1.5 % of GDP
21	Rwanda	1.3 % of GDP
22	Congo	1.2 % of GDP
23	Congo, Democratic Republic of the	1.2 % of GDP
24	Guinea-Bissau	1.2 % of GDP
25	Kenya	1.1 % of GDP
26	Angola	1 % of GDP
27	Cameroon	1 % of GDP
28	Equatorial Guinea	1 % of GDP
29	Côte d'Ivoire	0.8 % of GDP
30	Malawi	0.8 % of GDP
31	Benin	0.7 % of GDP
32	Egypt	0.7 % of GDP
33	Ethiopia	0.7 % of GDP
34	Liberia	0.7 % of GDP
35	Madagascar	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	Nigeria	0.6 % of GDP
40	Sierra Leone	0.5 % of GDP
41	Ghana	0.4 % of GDP
42	Libya	NaN % of GDP
43	Russia	7 % of GDP
44	Burkina Faso	4.5 % of GDP
45	Cuba	4.2 % of GDP
46	Myanmar	3.9 % of GDP
47	Kyrgyzstan	3 % of GDP
48	Brunei Darussalam	3 % of GDP
49	Namibia	2.8 % of GDP
50	Uzbekistan	2.8 % of GDP
51	Tunisia	2.5 % of GDP
52	South Korea	2.3 % of GDP
53	Uganda	2 % of GDP
54	Australia	2 % of GDP
55	Turkmenistan	1.9 % of GDP
56	Tonga	1.8 % of GDP
57	Tajikistan	1.8 % of GDP
58	Honduras	1.5 % of GDP
59	Cambodia	1.5 % of GDP
60	China	1.5 % of GDP
61	Eswatini	1.4 % of GDP
62	Fiji	1.4 % of GDP
63	Jamaica	1.4 % of GDP
64	Japan	1.4 % of GDP
65	Tanzania	1.3 % of GDP
66	Zambia	1.3 % of GDP
67	New Zealand	1.2 % of GDP
68	El Salvador	1.2 % of GDP
69	Panama	1.1 % of GDP
70	Belize	1 % of GDP
71	Malaysia	1 % of GDP
72	Trinidad and Tobago	0.9 % of GDP
73	Kazakhstan	0.9 % of GDP
74	Dominican Republic	0.8 % of GDP
75	Indonesia	0.8 % of GDP
76	Barbados	0.7 % of GDP
77	Bahamas	0.7 % of GDP
78	Mongolia	0.7 % of GDP
79	Costa Rica	0.6 % of GDP
80	Nicaragua	0.5 % of GDP
81	Zimbabwe	0.4 % of GDP
82	Guatemala	0.4 % of GDP
83	North Korea	NaN % of GDP
84	Israel	8 % of GDP
85	Saudi Arabia	7.1 % of GDP
86	Syrian Arab Republic	6.5 % of GDP
87	Oman	6 % of GDP
88	Azerbaijan	5.1 % of GDP
89	Qatar	5 % of GDP
90	Kuwait	4.9 % of GDP
91	Poland	4.5 % of GDP
92	Jordan	4.5 % of GDP
93	Lithuania	4 % of GDP
94	Ukraine	4 % of GDP
95	United Arab Emirates	4 % of GDP
96	Latvia	3.7 % of GDP
97	Estonia	3.4 % of GDP
98	Norway	3.4 % of GDP
99	Colombia	3.4 % of GDP
100	Afghanistan	3.3 % of GDP
101	Denmark	3.2 % of GDP
102	United States	3.2 % of GDP
103	Singapore	3 % of GDP
104	Bahrain	3 % of GDP
105	Greece	2.9 % of GDP
106	Lebanon	2.9 % of GDP
107	Finland	2.8 % of GDP
108	Timor-Leste	2.5 % of GDP
109	Netherlands	2.5 % of GDP
110	Serbia	2.5 % of GDP
111	Sweden	2.5 % of GDP
112	Iraq	2.5 % of GDP
113	Pakistan	2.5 % of GDP
114	Taiwan	2.4 % of GDP
115	Germany	2.4 % of GDP
116	United Kingdom	2.4 % of GDP
117	Romania	2.3 % of GDP
118	Turkey	2.3 % of GDP
119	Ecuador	2.2 % of GDP
120	Bulgaria	2.1 % of GDP
121	France	2.1 % of GDP
122	Hungary	2.1 % of GDP
123	Uruguay	2.1 % of GDP
124	Albania	2 % of GDP
125	Belgium	2 % of GDP
126	Belarus	2 % of GDP
127	Czech Republic	2 % of GDP
128	Croatia	2 % of GDP
129	Italy	2 % of GDP
130	Slovakia	2 % of GDP
131	Luxembourg	2 % of GDP
132	Montenegro	2 % of GDP
133	North Macedonia	2 % of GDP
134	Portugal	2 % of GDP
135	Slovenia	2 % of GDP
136	Spain	2 % of GDP
137	Iran	2 % of GDP
138	Canada	2 % of GDP
139	India	2 % of GDP
140	Vietnam	1.8 % of GDP
141	Philippines	1.7 % of GDP
142	Cyprus	1.7 % of GDP
143	Georgia	1.7 % of GDP
144	Chile	1.5 % of GDP
145	Sri Lanka	1.5 % of GDP
146	Bolivia	1.2 % of GDP
147	Suriname	1.2 % of GDP
148	Thailand	1.1 % of GDP
149	Brazil	1.1 % of GDP
150	Austria	1 % of GDP
151	Nepal	1 % of GDP
152	Mexico	0.9 % of GDP
153	Guyana	0.9 % of GDP
154	Bangladesh	0.9 % of GDP
155	Bosnia and Herzegovina	0.8 % of GDP
156	Paraguay	0.8 % of GDP
157	Peru	0.8 % of GDP
158	Switzerland	0.7 % of GDP
159	Republic of Moldova	0.6 % of GDP
160	Argentina	0.6 % of GDP
161	Venezuela	0.6 % of GDP
162	Malta	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 2025, Eritrea leads the world in Military Expenditures (% of GDP) with a value of 10.00%. Globally, the range of military expenditures as a percentage of GDP spans from 0.20% to 10.00%, providing a comprehensive look at national defense spending priorities. The global average for this metric stands at 2.16%, offering a benchmark for comparison among the 163 countries with available data.

High Military Expenditures: Strategic and Security Implications

Countries with high military expenditures as a percentage of GDP often have strategic or security concerns driving these allocations. Eritrea tops the list with 10.00%, reflecting its ongoing regional security challenges and military-focused governance. Similarly, Algeria and Israel both allocate 8.00% of their GDP to military spending. Algeria's expenditures are influenced by its geopolitical position and security concerns in North Africa, while Israel's spending is driven by longstanding security imperatives in the Middle East.

In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia spends 7.1% of its GDP on military expenditures, emphasizing its role as a regional power and its need to maintain a robust defense posture amid regional tensions. Russia, with a military expenditure of 7.00%, continues to prioritize defense, reflecting its strategic military ambitions and geopolitical objectives.

Low Military Expenditures: Economic and Policy Considerations

On the opposite end of the spectrum, several countries maintain low military expenditures as a percentage of GDP, often due to economic constraints or policy choices prioritizing other areas. Ireland and Laos both report the lowest figure of 0.20%. Ireland's low expenditure is consistent with its policy of military neutrality, while Laos focuses on economic development over military expansion.

Countries like Papua New Guinea and Ghana allocate 0.30% and 0.40% of their GDP, respectively, to military spending. These figures reflect economic priorities centered around development challenges and limited defense budgets.

Significant Year-over-Year Changes in Military Expenditures

The year-over-year changes in military expenditures reveal significant strategic shifts for some countries. Notably, Israel increased its military expenditure by 3.50%, a substantial 77.8% rise, likely driven by heightened security needs and regional instability. Russia also saw a notable increase of 2.00% or 40.0%

Conversely, Venezuela experienced the largest decrease of 4.60%, a dramatic 88.5% reduction, reflecting its severe economic crisis and the reprioritization of fiscal resources. Algeria reduced its military expenditures by 1.00% or 11.1%, possibly due to economic pressures and a shifting focus towards domestic economic issues.

Regional Trends and Economic Drivers

Regional dynamics and economic conditions significantly influence military expenditures as a percentage of GDP. In the Middle East, high expenditure levels are common due to persistent geopolitical tensions and the need for advanced defense capabilities. This is evident in countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which allocate 7.1% and 5.0% of their GDP to military spending, respectively.

In Africa, Eritrea and Somalia spend 10.00% and 6.00% of their GDP on military expenditures, underscoring the impact of regional conflicts and security challenges. Conversely, countries in regions with stable security environments, like Ireland and Laos, maintain lower expenditure levels, prioritizing economic development and social services.

These patterns highlight the complex interplay between security imperatives, economic conditions, and policy decisions in shaping national military expenditures as a percentage of GDP.

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.

2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

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