Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Israel
Israel: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 7.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Military expenditure in Israel, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure in Israel stood at 7.8%.
That represents a change of down 7.8% on the previous year and up 48.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Israel peaked at 30.5% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 4.3%, in 2022.
Israel ranks 4th of 167 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 (% of GDP) in Israel, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 7.5% | — |
| 1961 | 7.9% | +5.4% |
| 1962 | 9.2% | +16.5% |
| 1963 | 9.8% | +6.5% |
| 1964 | 9.0% | -7.9% |
| 1965 | 8.6% | -4.6% |
| 1966 | 9.4% | +10.1% |
| 1967 | 15.4% | +63.7% |
| 1968 | 17.4% | +12.9% |
| 1969 | 19.1% | +9.5% |
| 1970 | 23.4% | +22.8% |
| 1971 | 22.8% | -2.8% |
| 1972 | 20.4% | -10.7% |
| 1973 | 27.9% | +36.7% |
| 1974 | 27.7% | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 30.5% | +10.2% |
| 1976 | 29.2% | -4.0% |
| 1977 | 23.1% | -21.1% |
| 1978 | 22.9% | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 19.4% | -15.3% |
| 1980 | 18.9% | -2.4% |
| 1981 | 20.3% | +7.1% |
| 1982 | 18.4% | -9.2% |
| 1983 | 15.5% | -15.5% |
| 1984 | 16.2% | +4.1% |
| 1985 | 16.6% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 14.8% | -11.0% |
| 1987 | 16.9% | +14.4% |
| 1988 | 15.9% | -5.6% |
| 1989 | 12.4% | -22.0% |
| 1990 | 12.4% | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 15.6% | +26.1% |
| 1992 | 10.9% | -29.9% |
| 1993 | 11.5% | +5.5% |
| 1994 | 10.1% | -12.2% |
| 1995 | 7.4% | -26.6% |
| 1996 | 7.3% | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 7.1% | -2.7% |
| 1998 | 6.6% | -6.5% |
| 1999 | 6.2% | -6.1% |
| 2000 | 6.0% | -3.2% |
| 2001 | 6.2% | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 6.3% | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 6.2% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 6.1% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 6.0% | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 5.8% | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 6.1% | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 5.9% | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 5.7% | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 5.4% | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 5.3% | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 5.3% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 5.5% | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 5.3% | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 5.2% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 5.3% | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 5.1% | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 5.0% | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 5.1% | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 4.8% | -6.0% |
| 2022 | 4.3% | -9.9% |
| 2023 | 5.3% | +21.7% |
| 2024 | 8.5% | +60.4% |
| 2025 | 7.8% | -7.8% |
Israel compared with similar countries
- Israel's 7.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.1%, 3.7× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Israel's 7.8% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.6%, 2.2× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Israel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | +63.7% | 9.4% | 15.4% |
| 2024 | +60.4% | 5.3% | 8.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11.3% | 7.5% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 24.7% | 19.4% | 30.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.6% | 12.4% | 20.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.5% | 6.2% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.1% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.3% | 5.0% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.0% | 4.3% | 8.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Israel
More public sector data for Israel
- 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 537.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 21.1 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0004 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -75.55 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Israel?
- Military expenditure in Israel was 7.8% in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Israel?
- The highest recorded value was 30.5% in 1975.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Israel?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.3% in 2022.
- How does Israel rank for military expenditure?
- Israel ranks 4th out of 167 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Israel?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Israel 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