Military expenditure (current LCU) in Eswatini
Eswatini: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 1.67 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.67 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 9.6%
World rank
138th
of 168 countries
All-time high
1.67 billion current LCU
in 2025
All-time low
4.69 million current LCU
in 1977
Years of data
49
1977–2025
Military expenditure in Eswatini, 1977–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
Eswatini recorded 1.67 billion current LCU for military expenditure in 2025. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.6% on the previous year and up 78.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Eswatini peaked at 1.67 billion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.69 million current LCU, in 1977.
Eswatini ranks 138th of 168 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current LCU) in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 4.69 million current LCU | — |
| 1978 | 7.18 million current LCU | +53.2% |
| 1979 | 8.57 million current LCU | +19.4% |
| 1980 | 10.23 million current LCU | +19.3% |
| 1981 | 10.85 million current LCU | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 12.03 million current LCU | +10.8% |
| 1983 | 13.07 million current LCU | +8.7% |
| 1984 | 13.45 million current LCU | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 14.78 million current LCU | +9.9% |
| 1986 | 16.77 million current LCU | +13.5% |
| 1987 | 17.00 million current LCU | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 19.82 million current LCU | +16.6% |
| 1989 | 22.90 million current LCU | +15.5% |
| 1990 | 36.80 million current LCU | +60.7% |
| 1991 | 44.20 million current LCU | +20.1% |
| 1992 | 59.83 million current LCU | +35.4% |
| 1993 | 77.53 million current LCU | +29.6% |
| 1994 | 91.62 million current LCU | +18.2% |
| 1995 | 104.35 million current LCU | +13.9% |
| 1996 | 113.88 million current LCU | +9.1% |
| 1997 | 118.25 million current LCU | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 142.25 million current LCU | +20.3% |
| 1999 | 157.95 million current LCU | +11.0% |
| 2000 | 169.82 million current LCU | +7.5% |
| 2001 | 169.30 million current LCU | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 193.30 million current LCU | +14.2% |
| 2003 | 241.53 million current LCU | +24.9% |
| 2004 | 275.80 million current LCU | +14.2% |
| 2005 | 378.20 million current LCU | +37.1% |
| 2006 | 396.27 million current LCU | +4.8% |
| 2007 | 435.95 million current LCU | +10.0% |
| 2008 | 550.67 million current LCU | +26.3% |
| 2009 | 643.25 million current LCU | +16.8% |
| 2010 | 747.00 million current LCU | +16.1% |
| 2011 | 774.25 million current LCU | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 744.15 million current LCU | -3.9% |
| 2013 | 830.73 million current LCU | +11.6% |
| 2014 | 882.92 million current LCU | +6.3% |
| 2015 | 938.14 million current LCU | +6.3% |
| 2016 | 1.19 billion current LCU | +26.4% |
| 2017 | 1.16 billion current LCU | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 1.27 billion current LCU | +9.4% |
| 2019 | 1.25 billion current LCU | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 1.26 billion current LCU | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 1.22 billion current LCU | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 1.36 billion current LCU | +11.3% |
| 2023 | 1.53 billion current LCU | +12.6% |
| 2024 | 1.52 billion current LCU | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 1.67 billion current LCU | +9.6% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 1.67 billion current LCU is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 121.21 billion current LCU, 1% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 1.67 billion current LCU is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 122.65 billion current LCU, 1% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.81 million current LCU | 4.69 million current LCU | 8.57 million current LCU | 3 |
| 1980s | 15.09 million current LCU | 10.23 million current LCU | 22.90 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 94.67 million current LCU | 36.80 million current LCU | 157.95 million current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 345.41 million current LCU | 169.30 million current LCU | 643.25 million current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 978.37 million current LCU | 744.15 million current LCU | 1.27 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.43 billion current LCU | 1.22 billion current LCU | 1.67 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
More public sector data for Eswatini
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (1973)
- 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 -100 % change on previous year (1973)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 64.09 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0164 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 12.96 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 79.66 million current USD (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Eswatini?
- Military expenditure in Eswatini was 1.67 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 Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 1.67 billion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.69 million current LCU in 1977.
- How does Eswatini rank for military expenditure?
- Eswatini ranks 138th out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is up 78.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Eswatini 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
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)