Military expenditure (current LCU) in Belgium
Belgium: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 12.88 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
12.88 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 62.8%
World rank
102nd
of 168 countries
All-time high
12.88 billion current LCU
in 2025
All-time low
474.99 million current LCU
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military expenditure in Belgium, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 12.88 billion current LCU for military expenditure in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 62.8% on the previous year and up 240.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Belgium peaked at 12.88 billion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 474.99 million current LCU, in 1960.
Belgium ranks 102nd of 168 countries 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.
Military expenditure (current LCU) in Belgium, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 474.99 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 484.90 million current LCU | +2.1% |
| 1962 | 523.33 million current LCU | +7.9% |
| 1963 | 551.07 million current LCU | +5.3% |
| 1964 | 616.09 million current LCU | +11.8% |
| 1965 | 620.63 million current LCU | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 698.29 million current LCU | +12.5% |
| 1967 | 753.50 million current LCU | +7.9% |
| 1968 | 801.17 million current LCU | +6.3% |
| 1969 | 836.74 million current LCU | +4.4% |
| 1970 | 926.82 million current LCU | +10.8% |
| 1971 | 1.01 billion current LCU | +8.7% |
| 1972 | 1.12 billion current LCU | +11.1% |
| 1973 | 1.25 billion current LCU | +11.8% |
| 1974 | 1.43 billion current LCU | +14.3% |
| 1975 | 1.76 billion current LCU | +22.8% |
| 1976 | 2.02 billion current LCU | +14.9% |
| 1977 | 2.22 billion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 1978 | 2.47 billion current LCU | +11.4% |
| 1979 | 2.64 billion current LCU | +6.8% |
| 1980 | 2.87 billion current LCU | +8.7% |
| 1981 | 3.12 billion current LCU | +8.6% |
| 1982 | 3.28 billion current LCU | +5.1% |
| 1983 | 3.39 billion current LCU | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 3.45 billion current LCU | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 3.57 billion current LCU | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 3.77 billion current LCU | +5.5% |
| 1987 | 3.85 billion current LCU | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 3.73 billion current LCU | -3.1% |
| 1989 | 3.79 billion current LCU | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 3.85 billion current LCU | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 3.91 billion current LCU | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 3.29 billion current LCU | -15.9% |
| 1993 | 3.21 billion current LCU | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 3.27 billion current LCU | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 3.25 billion current LCU | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 3.26 billion current LCU | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 3.27 billion current LCU | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 3.30 billion current LCU | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 3.38 billion current LCU | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 3.46 billion current LCU | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 3.39 billion current LCU | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 3.34 billion current LCU | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 3.43 billion current LCU | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 3.43 billion current LCU | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 3.40 billion current LCU | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 3.43 billion current LCU | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 3.77 billion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 2008 | 4.30 billion current LCU | +13.9% |
| 2009 | 4.05 billion current LCU | -5.9% |
| 2010 | 3.96 billion current LCU | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 3.96 billion current LCU | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 4.02 billion current LCU | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 3.96 billion current LCU | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 3.91 billion current LCU | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 3.79 billion current LCU | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 3.85 billion current LCU | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 3.93 billion current LCU | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 4.10 billion current LCU | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 4.25 billion current LCU | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 4.67 billion current LCU | +9.7% |
| 2021 | 5.28 billion current LCU | +13.1% |
| 2022 | 6.55 billion current LCU | +24.2% |
| 2023 | 7.06 billion current LCU | +7.8% |
| 2024 | 7.91 billion current LCU | +12.1% |
| 2025 | 12.88 billion current LCU | +62.8% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 12.88 billion current LCU is below the median for high income countries, which is 17.84 billion current LCU, 72% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 12.88 billion current LCU is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 8.40 billion current LCU, 1.5× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (current LCU) in Belgium changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | +62.8% | 7.91 billion current LCU | 12.88 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 636.07 million current LCU | 474.99 million current LCU | 836.74 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.68 billion current LCU | 926.82 million current LCU | 2.64 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.48 billion current LCU | 2.87 billion current LCU | 3.85 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.40 billion current LCU | 3.21 billion current LCU | 3.91 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.60 billion current LCU | 3.34 billion current LCU | 4.30 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.97 billion current LCU | 3.79 billion current LCU | 4.25 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.39 billion current LCU | 4.67 billion current LCU | 12.88 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 99 North Macedonia 20.45 billion current LCU compare
- 100 Honduras 15.09 billion current LCU compare
- 101 Guinea-Bissau 13.00 billion current LCU compare
- 103 Mauritania 12.81 billion current LCU compare
- 104 Zambia 10.24 billion current LCU compare
- 105 Peru 9.27 billion current LCU compare
More public sector data for Belgium
- 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 430.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 43.43 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0008 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -92.94 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Belgium?
- Military expenditure in Belgium was 12.88 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 Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 12.88 billion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 474.99 million current LCU in 1960.
- How does Belgium rank for military expenditure?
- Belgium ranks 102nd out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 240.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)