Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Europe & Central Asia
Europe & Central Asia: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 2.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
2.8%
Change on year
up 14.4%
Rank
9th
of 45 groups
All-time high
4.4%
in 1962
All-time low
1.6%
in 2018
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military expenditure in Europe & Central Asia, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military expenditure in Europe & Central Asia is 2.8%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 14.4% on the previous year and up 69.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 4.4% in 1962 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 2018.
Europe & Central Asia ranks 9th of 45 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Europe & Central Asia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.4% | — |
| 1961 | 4.3% | -2.4% |
| 1962 | 4.4% | +4.3% |
| 1963 | 4.4% | -1.1% |
| 1964 | 4.2% | -4.8% |
| 1965 | 4.0% | -3.7% |
| 1966 | 3.9% | -2.0% |
| 1967 | 3.9% | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 3.7% | -6.7% |
| 1969 | 3.5% | -5.7% |
| 1970 | 3.2% | -7.5% |
| 1971 | 3.2% | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 3.2% | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 3.0% | -4.9% |
| 1974 | 3.1% | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 3.2% | +3.7% |
| 1976 | 3.1% | -3.0% |
| 1977 | 3.1% | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 3.0% | -1.6% |
| 1979 | 3.0% | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 3.0% | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 3.1% | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 3.2% | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 3.2% | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 3.1% | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 3.1% | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 2.9% | -4.9% |
| 1987 | 2.9% | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 2.8% | -4.1% |
| 1989 | 2.7% | -3.3% |
| 1990 | 2.6% | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 2.5% | -5.3% |
| 1992 | 2.4% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 2.3% | -4.8% |
| 1994 | 2.2% | -3.4% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | -10.1% |
| 1996 | 2.0% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 2.0% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 1.9% | -4.9% |
| 1999 | 1.9% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 1.9% | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 1.8% | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 1.8% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 1.8% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 1.8% | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 1.8% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 1.7% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 1.7% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 1.7% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 1.8% | +5.7% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 1.7% | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 1.8% | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 1.7% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 1.7% | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 1.7% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 1.7% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 1.6% | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 1.8% | +7.5% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | -4.6% |
| 2022 | 2.0% | +14.8% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | +9.9% |
| 2024 | 2.5% | +13.9% |
| 2025 | 2.8% | +14.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.1% | 3.5% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.0% | 2.7% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.2% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.2% | 1.7% | 2.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia
- 6 Myanmar 6.6% compare
- 7 Qatar 6.5% compare
- 8 Saudi Arabia 6.5% compare
- 9 Azerbaijan 6.5% compare
- 10 Armenia 6.1% compare
- 11 Oman 5.7% compare
- 12 United Arab Emirates 5.6% compare
More public sector data for Europe & Central Asia
- Arms imports 14.57 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 15.26 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0005 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 23.95 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 14.17 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 774.37 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0245 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 19.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 719.05 billion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 416.81 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Europe & Central Asia?
- Military expenditure in Europe & Central Asia was 2.8% in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.4% in 1962.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 2018.
- How does Europe & Central Asia rank for military expenditure?
- Europe & Central Asia ranks 9th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 69.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia 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