Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Mauritania
Mauritania: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 2.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Military expenditure in Mauritania, 1985–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military expenditure in Mauritania is 2.7%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 7.9% on the previous year and up 27.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Mauritania peaked at 5.9% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 1998.
Mauritania ranks 43rd of 167 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.
Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 5.9% | — |
| 1986 | 5.0% | -15.3% |
| 1987 | 4.7% | -7.3% |
| 1988 | 4.5% | -3.9% |
| 1989 | 4.0% | -11.8% |
| 1990 | 3.8% | -3.4% |
| 1991 | 3.6% | -5.9% |
| 1992 | 2.7% | -25.3% |
| 1993 | 2.4% | -10.3% |
| 1994 | 2.2% | -7.1% |
| 1995 | 2.3% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 2.6% | +16.2% |
| 1997 | 3.0% | +13.0% |
| 1998 | 1.9% | -37.2% |
| 1999 | 2.3% | +22.1% |
| 2000 | 2.9% | +28.8% |
| 2001 | 4.0% | +36.7% |
| 2002 | 2.7% | -31.6% |
| 2003 | 4.0% | +45.8% |
| 2004 | 3.8% | -3.9% |
| 2005 | 3.1% | -20.5% |
| 2006 | 2.7% | -11.7% |
| 2008 | 3.1% | +13.6% |
| 2009 | 3.1% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 2.1% | -32.5% |
| 2013 | 2.0% | -5.6% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | +10.0% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 2.1% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 2.1% | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 2.1% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 2.0% | -4.3% |
| 2020 | 2.4% | +19.2% |
| 2021 | 2.5% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 2.4% | -5.1% |
| 2023 | 2.6% | +9.8% |
| 2024 | 2.5% | -1.7% |
| 2025 | 2.7% | +7.9% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 2.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.5%, 1.9× the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 2.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.3%, 2.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.8% | 4.0% | 5.9% | 5 |
| 1990s | 2.7% | 1.9% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.3% | 2.7% | 4.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 8 |
| 2020s | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More public sector data for Mauritania
- 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 126.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 24.37 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0116 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -87.5 % change on previous year (2015)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Mauritania?
- Military expenditure in Mauritania was 2.7% in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 5.9% in 1985.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 1998.
- How does Mauritania rank for military expenditure?
- Mauritania ranks 43rd out of 167 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mauritania 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