Military expenditure reached $2,887 billion worldwide in 2025, equal to 2.5% of global GDP. The total rose 2.9% from 2024, according to SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2025. These defense spending statistics show both the scale of global budgets and the very different burdens carried by individual countries and regions.
Contents
- Global spending at a glance
- Largest national military budgets
- Defense spending as a share of GDP
- Countries with the fastest changes
- Regional military expenditure
- Asia and Oceania
- What the concentration figures show
Global spending at a glance
The 2025 worldwide total was $2,887 billion, and military spending represented 2.5% of world GDP. The annual increase was 2.9%. Those figures describe total expenditure for the calendar year, rather than a forecast or a multi-year budget plan. All country and regional comparisons in this article refer to 2025 unless otherwise stated.
The regional totals add useful context to the global figure. The Americas spent $1,065 billion, or 37% of world military expenditure, although the regional total was down 6.6% from 2024. Europe spent $864 billion, up 14%, and accounted for 30% of the world total. Asia and Oceania spent $681 billion, up 8.1%, representing 24%.
The Middle East spent $218 billion, up 0.1%, or 7.6% of the global total. Africa spent $58.2 billion, up 8.5%, or 2.0% of world expenditure. The figures are from SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2025.
Largest national military budgets
The United States recorded the largest national total at $954 billion in 2025. That amount was 7.5% lower than in 2024 and equaled 3.1% of U.S. GDP. China’s estimated spending was $336 billion, up 7.4%, and equal to an estimated 1.7% of GDP. Russia’s estimated total was $190 billion, up 5.9%, equal to 7.5% of GDP.
The next largest totals were Germany at $114 billion, up 24%, and India at $92.1 billion, up 8.9%. Both equaled 2.3% of GDP. The United Kingdom spent $89.0 billion, down 2.0%, equal to 2.4% of GDP. Ukraine spent $84.1 billion, up 20%, equal to 40% of GDP.
| Country | 2025 spending | Change from 2024 | Share of GDP |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $954 billion | -7.5% | 3.1% |
| China | $336 billion, estimated | +7.4% | 1.7% |
| Russia | $190 billion, estimated | +5.9% | 7.5% |
| Germany | $114 billion | +24% | 2.3% |
| India | $92.1 billion | +8.9% | 2.3% |
| United Kingdom | $89.0 billion | -2.0% | 2.4% |
| Ukraine | $84.1 billion | +20% | 40% |
| Saudi Arabia | $83.2 billion | +1.4% | 6.5% |
| France | $68.0 billion | +1.5% | 2.0% |
| Japan | $62.2 billion | +9.7% | 1.4% |
Saudi Arabia spent $83.2 billion, up 1.4%, or 6.5% of GDP. France spent $68.0 billion, up 1.5%, or 2.0% of GDP. Japan spent $62.2 billion, up 9.7%, or 1.4% of GDP. These figures are reported by SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2025; the China and Russia amounts are identified there as estimates.
Other large national totals included Israel at $48.3 billion, down 4.9%, equal to 7.8% of GDP; Italy at $48.1 billion, up 20%, equal to 1.9%; South Korea at $47.8 billion, up 2.6%, equal to 2.6%; and Poland at $46.8 billion, up 23%, equal to 4.5%.
Spain spent $40.2 billion, up 50%, equal to 2.1% of GDP. Canada spent $37.5 billion, up 23%, equal to 1.6%. Australia spent $35.3 billion, up 3.0%, equal to 1.9%. Türkiye spent $30.0 billion, up 7.2%, equal to 1.9%, while the Netherlands spent $28.9 billion, up 14%, equal to 2.2%.
Defense spending as a share of GDP
Comparing military budgets with GDP changes the picture. A country can have a smaller dollar total but a larger national economic burden. Ukraine’s 2025 military expenditure equaled 40% of GDP, the highest share in the figures. Israel’s share was 7.8%, Russia’s was 7.5%, and Saudi Arabia’s was 6.5%.
Algeria spent $25.4 billion, up 11%, equal to 8.8% of GDP. Poland’s $46.8 billion represented 4.5%, while Kuwait’s $8.1 billion represented 4.7%. Singapore spent $17.4 billion, up 10%, equal to 3.0% of GDP. Norway spent $17.0 billion, up 49%, equal to 3.3%, and Denmark spent $14.9 billion, up 46%, equal to 3.3%.
Other reported GDP shares were 3.2% for Colombia, which spent $14.5 billion after a 1.0% decline; 2.9% for Pakistan, which spent $11.9 billion after an 11% increase; and 3.0% for Greece, which spent $8.4 billion after a 5.6% increase.
Several countries had lower ratios despite substantial totals. The United States spent $954 billion at 3.1% of GDP, China’s estimated $336 billion was 1.7%, and Japan’s $62.2 billion was 1.4%. Mexico spent $13.6 billion, down 33%, equal to 0.7% of GDP. Switzerland spent $7.6 billion, up 9.4%, equal to 0.8%, while Indonesia spent $15.0 billion, up 28%, equal to 1.0%.
Countries with the fastest changes
The year-over-year changes identify where spending moved most sharply. Belgium recorded a 59% increase to $14.5 billion, Spain increased 50% to $40.2 billion, and Norway increased 49% to $17.0 billion. Denmark rose 46% to $14.9 billion.
Germany and Sweden each increased spending by 24%. Germany reached $114 billion, while Sweden reached $16.5 billion. Canada and Poland each rose 23%, reaching $37.5 billion and $46.8 billion respectively. Ukraine rose 20% to $84.1 billion, and Italy rose 20% to $48.1 billion.
In Asia, Indonesia’s spending rose 28% to $15.0 billion and Viet Nam’s rose 27% to $10.5 billion. Taiwan increased 14% to $18.2 billion, while South Korea increased 2.6% to $47.8 billion. East Asia’s regional total rose 7.4% to $464 billion.
The largest declines in the reported country figures were Mexico, down 33% to $13.6 billion, and the United States, down 7.5% to $954 billion. Iran fell 5.6% to $7.4 billion, Israel fell 4.9% to $48.3 billion, the United Kingdom fell 2.0% to $89.0 billion, and Colombia fell 1.0% to $14.5 billion. Czechia fell 0.4% to $7.1 billion.
Regional military expenditure
Europe’s $864 billion total included $580 billion in Central and Western Europe, up 16% and equal to 20% of world military expenditure. Eastern Europe spent $284 billion, up 10%, equal to 9.8%. The European regional total therefore combined two areas with different totals and growth rates.
In the Americas, North America spent $992 billion, down 6.6% and equal to 34% of world expenditure. Central America and the Caribbean spent $17.1 billion, down 27%, equal to 0.6%. South America spent $56.3 billion, up 3.4%, equal to 2.0%.
Asia and Oceania’s $681 billion total included $110 billion in South Asia, up 8.7%, or 3.8% of world expenditure, and $67.1 billion in South East Asia, up 15%, or 2.3%. East Asia’s $464 billion accounted for 16% of the world total.
Africa’s $58.2 billion was divided into $35.0 billion in North Africa, up 9.3%, or 1.2% of the world total, and $23.3 billion in Sub-Saharan Africa, up 7.4%, or 0.8%. The Middle East total of $218 billion changed little from 2024, increasing 0.1%.
Asia and Oceania
The Asia and Oceania figures are especially varied. China’s estimated $336 billion was the region’s largest listed national total, followed by India at $92.1 billion and Japan at $62.2 billion. South Korea spent $47.8 billion, Australia $35.3 billion, Taiwan $18.2 billion, Singapore $17.4 billion, Indonesia $15.0 billion, and Viet Nam $10.5 billion.
The reported GDP shares ranged from 1.0% in Indonesia and 1.4% in Japan to 3.0% in Singapore and 2.9% in Pakistan. China’s estimated share was 1.7%, India’s was 2.3%, Australia’s was 1.9%, and South Korea’s was 2.6%.
The regional growth figures also differed. South East Asia increased 15%, East Asia increased 7.4%, and South Asia increased 8.7%. At the country level, Indonesia increased 28%, Viet Nam 27%, Taiwan 14%, and Japan 9.7%. These percentages compare 2025 expenditure with 2024 expenditure and should not be read as forecasts for a later year.
What the concentration figures show
Military expenditure was concentrated among a relatively small group of countries. The five largest military spenders accounted for $1,686 billion in 2025, or 58% of world military spending. The top 10 accounted for $2,072 billion, or 72%. The top 15 accounted for $2,304 billion, or 80%.
The 32 NATO members together spent $1,581 billion, representing 55% of global military expenditure. This is an aggregate for the alliance’s members, not a separate country budget.
The concentration figures sit alongside large regional differences. The Americas accounted for 37% of world spending, Europe 30%, and Asia and Oceania 24%. Africa accounted for 2.0%, while Central America and the Caribbean accounted for 0.6%. The same 2025 total can therefore look very different depending on whether it is measured in dollars, as a share of GDP, by geography, or by the number of countries included.