Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Central Europe and the Baltics
Central Europe and the Baltics: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 3.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Military expenditure in Central Europe and the Baltics, 1970–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Central Europe and the Baltics recorded 3.0% for military expenditure in 2025.
The figure is up 11.2% on the previous year and up 98.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Central Europe and the Baltics peaked at 4.1% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 2013.
That places Central Europe and the Baltics 7th out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 48 years of available data.
Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Central Europe and the Baltics, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.0% | — |
| 1971 | 3.7% | -7.2% |
| 1972 | 3.3% | -12.5% |
| 1973 | 3.0% | -8.1% |
| 1974 | 3.2% | +6.7% |
| 1975 | 3.3% | +4.0% |
| 1976 | 3.0% | -9.9% |
| 1977 | 3.0% | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 3.2% | +9.6% |
| 1979 | 3.2% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 3.6% | +11.1% |
| 1988 | 3.9% | +9.7% |
| 1989 | 4.1% | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 2.7% | -32.5% |
| 1992 | 2.8% | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | -5.4% |
| 1994 | 2.7% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 2.3% | -15.3% |
| 1996 | 2.2% | -4.6% |
| 1997 | 2.2% | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 2.1% | -5.8% |
| 1999 | 2.0% | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 1.9% | -4.8% |
| 2001 | 1.9% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 1.9% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 1.9% | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 1.8% | -5.7% |
| 2005 | 1.8% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 1.7% | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 1.7% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 1.5% | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 1.5% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 1.5% | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | -4.7% |
| 2012 | 1.4% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 1.4% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 1.4% | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 1.5% | +7.8% |
| 2016 | 1.5% | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | +6.1% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | +7.9% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | +9.0% |
| 2021 | 1.8% | -4.3% |
| 2022 | 1.9% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 2.3% | +22.6% |
| 2024 | 2.7% | +18.6% |
| 2025 | 3.0% | +11.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.3% | 3.0% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.9% | 3.6% | 4.1% | 3 |
| 1990s | 2.4% | 2.0% | 2.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.3% | 1.8% | 3.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Central Europe and the Baltics
More public sector data for Central Europe and the Baltics
- Arms imports 4.37 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 29.09 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0012 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 21.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 2.91 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 711.87 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0289 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 34.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 71.23 billion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 2,166 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- Military expenditure in Central Europe and the Baltics was 3.0% in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- The highest recorded value was 4.1% in 1989.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 2013.
- How does Central Europe and the Baltics rank for military expenditure?
- Central Europe and the Baltics ranks 7th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- Over the last ten years it is up 98.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Central Europe and the Baltics 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 48 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Military expenditure by country as percentage of gross domestic product