Military expenditure (% of GDP) in North America
North America: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 3.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
3.0%
Change on year
down 8.2%
Rank
8th
of 45 groups
All-time high
9.0%
in 1962
All-time low
3.0%
in 1999
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military expenditure in North America, 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 North America is 3.0%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 8.2% on the previous year and down 8.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in North America peaked at 9.0% in 1962 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 1999.
That places North America 8th out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Military expenditure (% of GDP) in North America, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 8.7% | — |
| 1961 | 8.8% | +1.8% |
| 1962 | 9.0% | +1.9% |
| 1963 | 8.5% | -5.5% |
| 1964 | 7.7% | -8.8% |
| 1965 | 7.3% | -6.1% |
| 1966 | 8.0% | +10.5% |
| 1967 | 8.9% | +11.3% |
| 1968 | 8.8% | -1.7% |
| 1969 | 8.2% | -7.0% |
| 1970 | 7.6% | -7.1% |
| 1971 | 6.6% | -13.5% |
| 1972 | 6.2% | -6.3% |
| 1973 | 5.6% | -9.8% |
| 1974 | 5.6% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 5.3% | -5.2% |
| 1976 | 4.8% | -8.0% |
| 1977 | 4.8% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 4.7% | -3.4% |
| 1979 | 4.7% | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 4.9% | +3.8% |
| 1981 | 5.3% | +9.2% |
| 1982 | 6.4% | +20.6% |
| 1983 | 6.0% | -6.9% |
| 1984 | 5.9% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 6.1% | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 6.3% | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 6.1% | -3.5% |
| 1988 | 5.7% | -5.8% |
| 1989 | 5.5% | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 5.3% | -4.3% |
| 1991 | 4.6% | -12.5% |
| 1992 | 4.7% | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 4.4% | -6.9% |
| 1994 | 4.0% | -8.2% |
| 1995 | 3.7% | -8.4% |
| 1996 | 3.4% | -7.9% |
| 1997 | 3.3% | -4.3% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | -5.5% |
| 1999 | 3.0% | -3.6% |
| 2000 | 3.0% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 3.3% | +10.1% |
| 2003 | 3.6% | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 3.8% | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 3.8% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 3.8% | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 3.8% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 4.1% | +8.8% |
| 2009 | 4.6% | +10.4% |
| 2010 | 4.5% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 4.4% | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | -7.3% |
| 2013 | 3.7% | -9.6% |
| 2014 | 3.4% | -7.7% |
| 2015 | 3.3% | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 3.2% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 3.1% | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 3.1% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 3.2% | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 3.5% | +7.3% |
| 2021 | 3.2% | -7.3% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | -2.9% |
| 2023 | 3.1% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 3.3% | +4.2% |
| 2025 | 3.0% | -8.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.4% | 7.3% | 9.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.6% | 4.7% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.8% | 4.9% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.9% | 3.0% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.7% | 3.0% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.6% | 3.1% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2% | 3.0% | 3.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
More public sector data for North America
- Arms imports 828.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 3.56 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 56.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 1.36 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 2,692 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0325 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 8.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 1.03 trillion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 48.39 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in North America?
- Military expenditure in North America 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 North America?
- The highest recorded value was 9.0% in 1962.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 1999.
- How does North America rank for military expenditure?
- North America ranks 8th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America 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