Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan vs Saudi Arabia: Military expenditure
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
5.1%
in 2024
Saudi Arabia
7.3%
in 2024
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank
3rd
Saudi Arabia rank
5th
Military expenditure over time
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Saudi Arabia
How they compare
Saudi Arabia currently reports 7.3% against 5.1% in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, a difference of 2.2%.
That makes Saudi Arabia's figure about 1.4 times Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan's.
Across all 58 years both countries report, Saudi Arabia has been ahead every year.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 3rd and Saudi Arabia ranks 5th of 45 groups.
Saudi Arabia has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan | Saudi Arabia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.7% | 8.6% | 1.9% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1970s | 9.1% | 12.4% | 3.3% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1980s | 9.1% | 15.8% | 6.7% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1990s | 7.0% | 11.5% | 4.5% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2000s | 4.8% | 9.0% | 4.2% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2010s | 5.0% | 9.2% | 4.2% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2020s | 4.7% | 7.4% | 2.7% | Saudi Arabia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher military expenditure, Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan or Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia, at 7.3% against 5.1% in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan as of 2024.
- What is the difference in military expenditure between Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and Saudi Arabia?
- 2.2%, with Saudi Arabia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and Saudi Arabia?
- 58 years are reported by both, from 1963 to 2024.
- How do Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and Saudi Arabia rank globally for military expenditure?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 3rd and Saudi Arabia ranks 5th of 45 groups.
- Where does this data come from?
- SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as Military expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Military expenditure by country as percentage of gross domestic product