Australia vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Military expenditure

Australia
5.0%
in 2024
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
5.3%
in 2024
Australia rank
83rd
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
80th

Military expenditure over time

  • Australia
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
02.557.51012.5198820062024

How they compare

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland currently reports 5.3% against 5.0% in Australia, a difference of 0.3%.

That makes United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's figure about 1.1 times Australia's.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 37 shared years of data; in 1988 it was United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.

Australia ranks 83rd and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 80th of 161 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, Australia averaged higher in 1 and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 4.

Head to head by decade

Decade Australia United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Difference Ahead
1980s 7.0% 11.2% 4.2% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1990s 6.0% 8.4% 2.4% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2000s 5.2% 6.5% 1.3% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2010s 5.0% 5.3% 0.3% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2020s 4.9% 4.8% 0.1% Australia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher military expenditure, Australia or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at 5.3% against 5.0% in Australia as of 2024.
What is the difference in military expenditure between Australia and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
0.3%, with United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
37 years are reported by both, from 1988 to 2024.
How do Australia and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for military expenditure?
Australia ranks 83rd and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 80th of 161 countries.
Where does this data come from?
SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Australia vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Military expenditure. Statizoid, drawing on SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/military-expenditure-percent-of-general-government-expenditure/australia/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure)
Unit
% of general government expenditure
Source
SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
204 places, 5,828 data points, 1988–2024
Last refreshed

Military expenditure expressed as a percentage of general government expenditure