Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Australia
Australia: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 1.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
1.9%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
77th
of 167 countries
All-time high
3.8%
in 1968
All-time low
1.6%
in 2013
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 % of GDP.
Analysis
Australia recorded 1.9% for military expenditure in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Australia peaked at 3.8% in 1968 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 2013.
Australia ranks 77th of 167 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Australia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.4% | — |
| 1961 | 2.4% | +1.9% |
| 1962 | 2.4% | -2.1% |
| 1963 | 2.4% | +3.5% |
| 1964 | 2.6% | +8.2% |
| 1965 | 3.0% | +11.5% |
| 1966 | 3.5% | +16.9% |
| 1967 | 3.8% | +9.9% |
| 1968 | 3.8% | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 3.4% | -11.8% |
| 1970 | 3.0% | -12.4% |
| 1971 | 2.8% | -6.8% |
| 1972 | 2.7% | -2.8% |
| 1973 | 2.4% | -11.4% |
| 1974 | 2.3% | -4.9% |
| 1975 | 2.3% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 2.2% | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 2.2% | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 2.2% | -1.4% |
| 1979 | 2.2% | -1.0% |
| 1980 | 2.2% | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 2.3% | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 2.4% | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 2.5% | +5.3% |
| 1984 | 2.5% | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 2.5% | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 2.5% | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 2.4% | -6.6% |
| 1988 | 2.2% | -9.1% |
| 1989 | 2.0% | -5.2% |
| 1990 | 2.1% | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 2.2% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 2.2% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 2.1% | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | -4.5% |
| 1996 | 1.9% | -4.5% |
| 1997 | 1.9% | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 1.9% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 1.9% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 1.8% | -3.3% |
| 2001 | 1.9% | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 1.9% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 1.8% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 1.8% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 1.8% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 1.8% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 1.8% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 1.8% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 1.9% | +7.0% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 1.7% | -5.3% |
| 2012 | 1.7% | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 1.6% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 1.8% | +8.2% |
| 2015 | 1.9% | +10.2% |
| 2016 | 2.1% | +7.0% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | -4.0% |
| 2018 | 1.9% | -5.5% |
| 2019 | 1.9% | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 2.0% | +6.9% |
| 2021 | 2.0% | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 1.9% | -4.9% |
| 2023 | 1.9% | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | +2.5% |
| 2025 | 1.9% | +0.8% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 1.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.1%, 92% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Australia's 1.9% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.4%, 1.4× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.0% | 2.4% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.4% | 2.2% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.4% | 2.0% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.0% | 1.9% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 2.0% | 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 1.9% 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 3.8% in 1968.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 2013.
- How does Australia rank for military expenditure?
- Australia ranks 77th out of 167 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure by country as percentage of gross domestic product