Military expenditure (current LCU) in Australia
Australia: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 54.81 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
54.81 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 5.7%
World rank
84th
of 168 countries
All-time high
54.81 billion current LCU
in 2025
All-time low
410.50 million current LCU
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military expenditure in Australia, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure in Australia stood at 54.81 billion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.7% on the previous year and up 71.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Australia peaked at 54.81 billion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 410.50 million current LCU, in 1960.
That places Australia 84th out of 168 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current LCU) in Australia, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 410.50 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 420.50 million current LCU | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 437.00 million current LCU | +3.9% |
| 1963 | 494.00 million current LCU | +13.0% |
| 1964 | 585.50 million current LCU | +18.5% |
| 1965 | 703.00 million current LCU | +20.1% |
| 1966 | 881.00 million current LCU | +25.3% |
| 1967 | 1.07 billion current LCU | +21.4% |
| 1968 | 1.18 billion current LCU | +10.3% |
| 1969 | 1.17 billion current LCU | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 1.14 billion current LCU | -2.9% |
| 1971 | 1.18 billion current LCU | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 1.25 billion current LCU | +5.9% |
| 1973 | 1.31 billion current LCU | +4.9% |
| 1974 | 1.48 billion current LCU | +13.5% |
| 1975 | 1.73 billion current LCU | +16.9% |
| 1976 | 2.00 billion current LCU | +15.3% |
| 1977 | 2.25 billion current LCU | +12.9% |
| 1978 | 2.46 billion current LCU | +9.1% |
| 1979 | 2.77 billion current LCU | +12.7% |
| 1980 | 3.21 billion current LCU | +15.8% |
| 1981 | 3.76 billion current LCU | +17.1% |
| 1982 | 4.40 billion current LCU | +16.9% |
| 1983 | 5.01 billion current LCU | +13.9% |
| 1984 | 5.61 billion current LCU | +12.1% |
| 1985 | 6.28 billion current LCU | +11.9% |
| 1986 | 6.89 billion current LCU | +9.7% |
| 1987 | 7.22 billion current LCU | +4.8% |
| 1988 | 7.47 billion current LCU | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 7.97 billion current LCU | +6.7% |
| 1990 | 8.59 billion current LCU | +7.8% |
| 1991 | 9.02 billion current LCU | +5.0% |
| 1992 | 9.37 billion current LCU | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 9.90 billion current LCU | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 10.20 billion current LCU | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 10.34 billion current LCU | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 10.48 billion current LCU | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 10.69 billion current LCU | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 11.31 billion current LCU | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 12.04 billion current LCU | +6.4% |
| 2000 | 12.55 billion current LCU | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 13.62 billion current LCU | +8.5% |
| 2002 | 14.63 billion current LCU | +7.4% |
| 2003 | 15.31 billion current LCU | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 16.31 billion current LCU | +6.6% |
| 2005 | 17.33 billion current LCU | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 18.91 billion current LCU | +9.1% |
| 2007 | 20.54 billion current LCU | +8.6% |
| 2008 | 22.21 billion current LCU | +8.2% |
| 2009 | 24.31 billion current LCU | +9.4% |
| 2010 | 25.31 billion current LCU | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 25.79 billion current LCU | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 25.32 billion current LCU | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 25.71 billion current LCU | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 28.60 billion current LCU | +11.2% |
| 2015 | 32.01 billion current LCU | +11.9% |
| 2016 | 35.49 billion current LCU | +10.9% |
| 2017 | 36.12 billion current LCU | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 35.93 billion current LCU | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 37.50 billion current LCU | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 39.67 billion current LCU | +5.8% |
| 2021 | 43.58 billion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 2022 | 46.77 billion current LCU | +7.3% |
| 2023 | 48.83 billion current LCU | +4.4% |
| 2024 | 51.87 billion current LCU | +6.2% |
| 2025 | 54.81 billion current LCU | +5.7% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 54.81 billion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 17.84 billion current LCU, 3.1× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Australia's 54.81 billion current LCU is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 206.67 billion current LCU, 27% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 735.50 million current LCU | 410.50 million current LCU | 1.18 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.76 billion current LCU | 1.14 billion current LCU | 2.77 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.78 billion current LCU | 3.21 billion current LCU | 7.97 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.20 billion current LCU | 8.59 billion current LCU | 12.04 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.57 billion current LCU | 12.55 billion current LCU | 24.31 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.78 billion current LCU | 25.31 billion current LCU | 37.50 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.59 billion current LCU | 39.67 billion current LCU | 54.81 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More public sector data for Australia
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 826.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 36.15 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0006 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 159.37 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Australia?
- Military expenditure in Australia was 54.81 billion current LCU in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 54.81 billion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 410.50 million current LCU in 1960.
- How does Australia rank for military expenditure?
- Australia ranks 84th out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 71.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)