Military expenditure (current LCU) in Vietnam
Vietnam: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 272.72 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Military expenditure in Vietnam, 1987–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military expenditure in Vietnam is 272.72 trillion current LCU, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
That represents a change of up 31.4% on the previous year and up 105.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Vietnam peaked at 272.72 trillion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 103.00 billion current LCU, in 1987.
Vietnam ranks 3rd of 168 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current LCU) in Vietnam, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 103.00 billion current LCU | — |
| 1988 | 792.00 billion current LCU | +668.9% |
| 1989 | 2.05 trillion current LCU | +158.5% |
| 1990 | 3.32 trillion current LCU | +62.1% |
| 1991 | 4.29 trillion current LCU | +29.3% |
| 1992 | 3.73 trillion current LCU | -13.1% |
| 1993 | 3.17 trillion current LCU | -15.1% |
| 1994 | 4.73 trillion current LCU | +49.3% |
| 2003 | 13.06 trillion current LCU | +176.1% |
| 2004 | 14.41 trillion current LCU | +10.3% |
| 2005 | 16.28 trillion current LCU | +13.0% |
| 2006 | 20.58 trillion current LCU | +26.4% |
| 2007 | 28.73 trillion current LCU | +39.6% |
| 2008 | 33.45 trillion current LCU | +16.4% |
| 2009 | 49.36 trillion current LCU | +47.6% |
| 2010 | 50.40 trillion current LCU | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 62.13 trillion current LCU | +23.3% |
| 2012 | 98.70 trillion current LCU | +58.9% |
| 2013 | 115.59 trillion current LCU | +17.1% |
| 2014 | 119.06 trillion current LCU | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 132.62 trillion current LCU | +11.4% |
| 2016 | 138.78 trillion current LCU | +4.7% |
| 2017 | 143.27 trillion current LCU | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 155.82 trillion current LCU | +8.8% |
| 2019 | 167.25 trillion current LCU | +7.3% |
| 2020 | 166.17 trillion current LCU | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 174.31 trillion current LCU | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 165.07 trillion current LCU | -5.3% |
| 2023 | 189.27 trillion current LCU | +14.7% |
| 2024 | 207.59 trillion current LCU | +9.7% |
| 2025 | 272.72 trillion current LCU | +31.4% |
Vietnam compared with similar countries
- Vietnam's 272.72 trillion current LCU is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 55.44 billion current LCU, 4919.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Vietnam's 272.72 trillion current LCU is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 206.67 billion current LCU, 1319.6× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (current LCU) in Vietnam 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +668.9% | 103.00 billion current LCU | 792.00 billion current LCU |
| 2003 | +176.1% | 4.73 trillion current LCU | 13.06 trillion current LCU |
| 1989 | +158.5% | 792.00 billion current LCU | 2.05 trillion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 980.67 billion current LCU | 103.00 billion current LCU | 2.05 trillion current LCU | 3 |
| 1990s | 3.85 trillion current LCU | 3.17 trillion current LCU | 4.73 trillion current LCU | 5 |
| 2000s | 25.12 trillion current LCU | 13.06 trillion current LCU | 49.36 trillion current LCU | 7 |
| 2010s | 118.36 trillion current LCU | 50.40 trillion current LCU | 167.25 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 195.85 trillion current LCU | 165.07 trillion current LCU | 272.72 trillion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vietnam
More public sector data for Vietnam
- 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 177.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.5743 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 5.45 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Vietnam?
- Military expenditure in Vietnam was 272.72 trillion current LCU in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Vietnam?
- The highest recorded value was 272.72 trillion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Vietnam?
- The lowest recorded value was 103.00 billion current LCU in 1987.
- How does Vietnam rank for military expenditure?
- Vietnam ranks 3rd out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Vietnam?
- Over the last ten years it is up 105.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Vietnam 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 — 31 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)