Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Qatar
Qatar: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 6.5% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Military expenditure in Qatar, 1980–2022
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military expenditure in Qatar is 6.5%, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 341.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Qatar peaked at 24.8% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 2010.
That places Qatar 7th out of 167 countries with data for 2022, putting it 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 Qatar, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 7.9% | — |
| 1981 | 12.2% | +55.3% |
| 1982 | 19.3% | +57.8% |
| 1983 | 14.0% | -27.6% |
| 1984 | 12.7% | -8.8% |
| 1985 | 24.8% | +95.1% |
| 1987 | 15.9% | -36.0% |
| 1988 | 16.3% | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 13.1% | -19.6% |
| 1990 | 10.7% | -17.8% |
| 1991 | 13.0% | +21.1% |
| 2002 | 3.9% | -69.8% |
| 2003 | 3.3% | -15.2% |
| 2004 | 2.4% | -27.0% |
| 2005 | 2.0% | -18.1% |
| 2006 | 1.8% | -12.2% |
| 2007 | 2.0% | +12.0% |
| 2008 | 2.0% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 2.0% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 1.5% | -26.0% |
| 2021 | 6.5% | +337.8% |
| 2022 | 6.5% | +0.7% |
Qatar compared with similar countries
- Qatar's 6.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.1%, 3.1× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Qatar's 6.5% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.6%, 1.8× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Qatar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +337.8% | 1.5% | 6.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 15.1% | 7.9% | 24.8% | 9 |
| 1990s | 11.9% | 10.7% | 13.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 2.4% | 1.8% | 3.9% | 8 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 2020s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Qatar
More public sector data for Qatar
- Arms imports 1.05 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 403.1 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0053 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -42.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 1.15 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 5,800 current USD per person (2022)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0654 current USD per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 32.94 % change on previous year (2022)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 15.41 billion current USD (2022)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 174,064 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Qatar?
- Military expenditure in Qatar was 6.5% in 2022, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Qatar?
- The highest recorded value was 24.8% in 1985.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Qatar?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 2010.
- How does Qatar rank for military expenditure?
- Qatar ranks 7th out of 167 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Qatar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 341.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Qatar 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