China vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Military expenditure
China
5.1%
in 2024
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
5.3%
in 2024
China rank
81st
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
80th
Military expenditure over time
- China
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
How they compare
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland currently reports 5.3% against 5.1% in China, a difference of 0.2%.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 36 shared years of data; in 1989 it was China ahead.
China ranks 81st and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 80th of 161 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 13.2% | 11.0% | 2.2% | China |
| 1990s | 14.4% | 8.4% | 5.9% | China |
| 2000s | 10.1% | 6.5% | 3.6% | China |
| 2010s | 5.7% | 5.3% | 0.4% | China |
| 2020s | 5.0% | 4.8% | 0.2% | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher military expenditure, China or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at 5.3% against 5.1% in China as of 2024.
- What is the difference in military expenditure between China and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 0.2%, with United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1989 to 2024.
- How do China and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for military expenditure?
- China ranks 81st 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.
Individual pages
About this data
Military expenditure expressed as a percentage of general government expenditure