Military expenditure in Ghana
Ghana: Military expenditure was 0.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.4%
Change on year
down 3.5%
World rank
157th
of 164 countries
All-time high
2.7%
in 1968
All-time low
0.3%
in 2002
Years of data
63
1960–2024
Military expenditure in Ghana, 1960–2024
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military expenditure in Ghana is 0.4%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 3.5% on the previous year and down 20.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Ghana peaked at 2.7% in 1968 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2002.
Ghana ranks 157th of 164 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 in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.7% | — |
| 1961 | 2.1% | +23.2% |
| 1962 | 2.0% | -4.9% |
| 1963 | 2.0% | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 1.9% | -4.7% |
| 1965 | 1.7% | -9.9% |
| 1966 | 2.2% | +28.5% |
| 1968 | 2.7% | +19.3% |
| 1969 | 2.5% | -5.8% |
| 1970 | 2.1% | -15.3% |
| 1971 | 1.7% | -19.7% |
| 1972 | 1.4% | -16.0% |
| 1973 | 1.4% | -4.5% |
| 1974 | 1.6% | +15.9% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | +8.4% |
| 1976 | 1.6% | -8.6% |
| 1977 | 1.3% | -20.0% |
| 1978 | 0.9% | -32.1% |
| 1979 | 0.6% | -24.1% |
| 1980 | 0.8% | +19.7% |
| 1981 | 0.7% | -4.2% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | -54.0% |
| 1984 | 0.6% | +73.9% |
| 1985 | 1.0% | +68.6% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | -10.0% |
| 1987 | 0.9% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | -50.9% |
| 1989 | 0.4% | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | -35.8% |
| 1991 | 0.4% | +33.4% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | +11.8% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -21.3% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | -14.5% |
| 1997 | 0.3% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 0.3% | +16.2% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | +33.0% |
| 2001 | 0.3% | -40.4% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 0.3% | +16.7% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | -6.0% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | +41.2% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | -20.6% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | +14.5% |
| 2010 | 0.3% | -16.1% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | +53.9% |
| 2012 | 0.6% | +36.3% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | -32.5% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | +21.2% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -19.0% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | -25.8% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | +7.3% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | +5.5% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | +9.1% |
| 2022 | 0.3% | -11.7% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | +17.8% |
| 2024 | 0.4% | -3.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.1% | 1.7% | 2.7% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.4% | 0.6% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7% | 0.3% | 1.0% | 9 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 154 Sierra Leone 0.5% compare
- 155 Malta 0.5% compare
- 156 Kazakhstan 0.4% compare
- 158 Guatemala 0.4% compare
- 159 Zimbabwe 0.4% compare
- 160 Papua New Guinea 0.3% compare
More public sector data for Ghana
- Arms imports 11.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.3195 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 37.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 11.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 7.81 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0032 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate -5.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 268.74 million current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 35.16 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Ghana?
- Military expenditure in Ghana was 0.4% in 2024, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 2.7% in 1968.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2002.
- How does Ghana rank for military expenditure?
- Ghana ranks 157th out of 164 countries with data for 2024.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana 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