Belgium vs France: Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure)
Belgium
3.7%
in 2025
France
3.5%
in 2025
Belgium rank
127th
France rank
129th
Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) over time
- Belgium
- France
How they compare
Belgium currently reports 3.7% against 3.5% in France, a difference of 0.2%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 38 shared years of data; in 1988 it was France ahead.
Belgium ranks 127th and France ranks 129th of 164 countries.
France has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Belgium | France | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.6% | 5.8% | 1.2% | France |
| 1990s | 3.2% | 4.7% | 1.5% | France |
| 2000s | 2.4% | 3.8% | 1.4% | France |
| 2010s | 1.8% | 3.3% | 1.5% | France |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 3.4% | 1.1% | France |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher military expenditure, Belgium or France?
- Belgium, at 3.7% against 3.5% in France as of 2025.
- What is the difference in military expenditure between Belgium and France?
- 0.2%, with Belgium ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Belgium and France?
- 38 years are reported by both, from 1988 to 2025.
- How do Belgium and France rank globally for military expenditure?
- Belgium ranks 127th and France ranks 129th of 164 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.
Individual pages
About this data
Military expenditure expressed as a percentage of general government expenditure