Arms imports in Latin America & Caribbean

Latin America & Caribbean: Arms imports was 644.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
644.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
Change on year
up 67.3%
Rank
34th
of 43 groups
All-time high
4.34 billion SIPRI trend indicator values
in 1981
All-time low
385.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
in 2023
Years of data
61
1960–2024

Arms imports in Latin America & Caribbean, 1960–2024

01.0B2.0B3.0B4.0B196019922024

Source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in SIPRI trend indicator values.

Analysis

The most recent figure for arms imports in Latin America & Caribbean is 644.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of up 67.3% on the previous year and down 43.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, arms imports in Latin America & Caribbean peaked at 4.34 billion SIPRI trend indicator values in 1981 and was at its lowest, 385.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, in 2023.

Latin America & Caribbean ranks 34th of 43 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Arms imports in Latin America & Caribbean, year by year

Annual values for Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in Latin America & Caribbean, 1960 to 2024.
Year SIPRI trend indicator values Change
1960 1.22 billion SIPRI trend indicator values
1961 1.23 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +0.9%
1962 1.76 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +43.2%
1963 746.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values -57.6%
1964 432.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values -42.1%
1965 489.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values +13.2%
1966 679.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values +38.9%
1968 1.20 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +76.9%
1969 792.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values -34.1%
1970 872.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values +10.1%
1971 1.45 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +66.1%
1972 2.09 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +44.3%
1973 2.82 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +35.1%
1974 2.39 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -15.2%
1975 2.62 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +9.6%
1976 2.83 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +8.0%
1977 3.28 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +15.8%
1978 3.20 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -2.6%
1979 2.36 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -26.3%
1980 2.88 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +22.2%
1981 4.34 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +50.7%
1982 3.64 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -16.2%
1983 3.79 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +4.2%
1984 3.69 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -2.7%
1985 2.01 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -45.6%
1986 1.56 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -22.4%
1987 1.72 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +10.3%
1988 1.18 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -31.6%
1989 1.55 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +32.1%
1990 1.09 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -29.6%
1991 1.20 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +9.6%
1992 611.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values -49.0%
1993 527.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values -13.7%
1994 992.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values +88.2%
1995 849.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values -14.4%
1996 1.08 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +26.7%
1997 2.08 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +93.8%
1998 772.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values -63.0%
1999 1.23 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +59.1%
2000 1.02 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -16.5%
2001 1.23 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +20.1%
2002 678.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values -44.9%
2003 534.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values -21.2%
2004 754.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values +41.2%
2005 1.19 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +57.6%
2006 2.06 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +73.7%
2008 1.66 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -19.4%
2009 1.36 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -18.3%
2010 1.56 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +14.6%
2011 1.75 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +12.3%
2012 1.68 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -4.1%
2013 1.57 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -6.3%
2014 1.13 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -28.2%
2015 1.39 billion SIPRI trend indicator values +22.6%
2016 1.02 billion SIPRI trend indicator values -26.0%
2017 587.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values -42.7%
2018 549.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values -6.5%
2020 970.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values +76.7%
2021 594.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values -38.8%
2023 385.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values -35.2%
2024 644.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values +67.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 949.89 million SIPRI trend indicator values 432.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values 1.76 billion SIPRI trend indicator values 9
1970s 2.39 billion SIPRI trend indicator values 872.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values 3.28 billion SIPRI trend indicator values 10
1980s 2.64 billion SIPRI trend indicator values 1.18 billion SIPRI trend indicator values 4.34 billion SIPRI trend indicator values 10
1990s 1.04 billion SIPRI trend indicator values 527.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values 2.08 billion SIPRI trend indicator values 10
2000s 1.17 billion SIPRI trend indicator values 534.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values 2.06 billion SIPRI trend indicator values 9
2010s 1.25 billion SIPRI trend indicator values 549.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values 1.75 billion SIPRI trend indicator values 9
2020s 648.25 million SIPRI trend indicator values 385.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values 970.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values 4

Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean

  1. 31 Philippines 238.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
  2. 32 Myanmar 222.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
  3. 33 Israel 211.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
  4. 34 New Zealand 200.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
  5. 35 France 188.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
  6. 36 Indonesia 186.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
  7. 37 Serbia 153.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare

See the full ranking of 217 places →

More public sector data for Latin America & Caribbean

All data for Latin America & Caribbean →

Frequently asked questions

What is arms imports in Latin America & Caribbean?
Arms imports in Latin America & Caribbean was 644.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2024, according to Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
What is the highest arms imports recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
The highest recorded value was 4.34 billion SIPRI trend indicator values in 1981.
What is the lowest arms imports recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
The lowest recorded value was 385.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2023.
How does Latin America & Caribbean rank for arms imports?
Latin America & Caribbean ranks 34th out of 43 groups with data for 2024.
Is arms imports rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean?
Over the last ten years it is down 43.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Latin America & Caribbean data come from?
The figures come from Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Arms imports in Latin America & Caribbean. Statizoid, drawing on Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/arms-imports-sipri-trend-indicator-values/latin-america-and-caribbean/

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About this data

Indicator
Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values)
Unit
SIPRI trend indicator values
Source
Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
217 places, 9,420 data points, 1960–2024
Last refreshed

Arms transfers (imports) cover the volume of transfers of major arms through sales and gifts, and those made through manufacturing licenses. Data cover major conventional weapons such as aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery, radar systems, missiles, and ships. Figures are SIPRI Trend Indicator Values (TIVs). A '0' indicates that the volume of deliveries is between 0 and 0.5 million SIPRI TIV.