Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in Latin America & Caribbean
Latin America & Caribbean: Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) was 782.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
782.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
Change on year
up 20.7%
Rank
31st
of 45 groups
All-time high
4.33 billion SIPRI trend indicator values
in 1981
All-time low
393.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
in 2023
Years of data
62
1960–2025
Arms imports in Latin America & Caribbean, 1960–2025
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 782.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 20.7% on the previous year and down 43.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arms imports in Latin America & Caribbean peaked at 4.33 billion SIPRI trend indicator values in 1981 and was at its lowest, 393.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, in 2023.
Latin America & Caribbean ranks 31st of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in Latin America & Caribbean, year by year
| 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 | 436.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -41.6% |
| 1965 | 490.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +12.4% |
| 1966 | 679.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +38.6% |
| 1968 | 1.19 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +75.7% |
| 1969 | 784.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -34.3% |
| 1970 | 892.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +13.8% |
| 1971 | 1.44 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +60.9% |
| 1972 | 2.09 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +45.6% |
| 1973 | 2.82 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +35.1% |
| 1974 | 2.38 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -15.8% |
| 1975 | 2.63 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +10.9% |
| 1976 | 2.79 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +5.7% |
| 1977 | 3.28 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +17.6% |
| 1978 | 3.19 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 2.35 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -26.5% |
| 1980 | 2.85 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +21.3% |
| 1981 | 4.33 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +52.2% |
| 1982 | 3.62 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -16.4% |
| 1983 | 3.79 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +4.5% |
| 1984 | 3.67 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -3.1% |
| 1985 | 2.03 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -44.7% |
| 1986 | 1.56 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -22.9% |
| 1987 | 1.73 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +10.4% |
| 1988 | 1.18 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -31.8% |
| 1989 | 1.56 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +32.3% |
| 1990 | 1.09 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -29.7% |
| 1991 | 1.20 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +9.4% |
| 1992 | 620.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -48.2% |
| 1993 | 528.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -14.8% |
| 1994 | 996.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +88.6% |
| 1995 | 843.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -15.4% |
| 1996 | 1.07 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +27.5% |
| 1997 | 2.08 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +93.8% |
| 1998 | 767.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -63.2% |
| 1999 | 1.23 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +60.2% |
| 2000 | 1.02 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -16.6% |
| 2001 | 1.23 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +20.1% |
| 2002 | 679.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -44.8% |
| 2003 | 535.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -21.2% |
| 2004 | 754.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +40.9% |
| 2005 | 1.20 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +58.5% |
| 2006 | 2.06 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +72.6% |
| 2008 | 1.67 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -19.2% |
| 2009 | 1.36 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -18.4% |
| 2010 | 1.56 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +14.6% |
| 2011 | 1.74 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +11.9% |
| 2012 | 1.67 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 1.58 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -5.4% |
| 2014 | 1.13 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -28.4% |
| 2015 | 1.38 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +22.7% |
| 2016 | 1.02 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -26.3% |
| 2017 | 583.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -42.8% |
| 2018 | 542.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -7.0% |
| 2020 | 999.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +84.3% |
| 2021 | 591.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -40.8% |
| 2023 | 393.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -33.5% |
| 2024 | 648.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +64.9% |
| 2025 | 782.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +20.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 948.67 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 436.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.76 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.39 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 892.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 3.28 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.63 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.18 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 4.33 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.04 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 528.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 2.08 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.17 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 535.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 2.06 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 9 |
| 2010s | 1.24 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 542.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.74 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 9 |
| 2020s | 682.60 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 393.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 999.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 5 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean
- 28 Hungary 402.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 29 Morocco 392.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 30 Turkmenistan 382.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 31 Turkey 381.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 32 Kuwait 311.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 33 Denmark 278.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 34 Spain 237.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
More public sector data for Latin America & Caribbean
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.9725 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 67.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 644.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 110.81 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0104 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 10.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 73.38 billion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 19.2 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per square kilometre 3,308 current USD per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arms imports in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Arms imports in Latin America & Caribbean was 782.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2025, 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 4.33 billion SIPRI trend indicator values in 1981.
- What is the lowest arms imports recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 393.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2023.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean rank for arms imports?
- Latin America & Caribbean ranks 31st out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is arms imports rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.5%. 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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About this data
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.