Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Romania
Romania: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 2.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Military expenditure in Romania, 1980–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military expenditure in Romania is 2.3%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.9% on the previous year and up 57.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Romania peaked at 4.8% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 2012.
That places Romania 57th out of 167 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 46 years of available data.
Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Romania, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.2% | — |
| 1981 | 2.2% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 2.0% | -7.3% |
| 1983 | 2.0% | -2.7% |
| 1984 | 1.9% | -3.9% |
| 1985 | 4.3% | +125.5% |
| 1986 | 4.4% | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 3.9% | -12.0% |
| 1988 | 4.2% | +7.4% |
| 1989 | 4.8% | +14.1% |
| 1990 | 4.5% | -5.2% |
| 1991 | 4.8% | +5.0% |
| 1992 | 4.2% | -11.0% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | -35.5% |
| 1994 | 3.1% | +13.7% |
| 1995 | 2.6% | -16.1% |
| 1996 | 2.4% | -9.4% |
| 1997 | 3.0% | +27.4% |
| 1998 | 3.0% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 2.6% | -12.1% |
| 2000 | 2.5% | -5.4% |
| 2001 | 2.4% | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 2.3% | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 2.1% | -8.7% |
| 2004 | 2.0% | -3.9% |
| 2005 | 2.0% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.8% | -8.1% |
| 2007 | 1.5% | -19.1% |
| 2008 | 1.4% | -6.3% |
| 2009 | 1.3% | -8.7% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | -5.0% |
| 2013 | 1.3% | +10.1% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 1.5% | +7.6% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 1.7% | +21.4% |
| 2018 | 1.8% | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 2.0% | +9.4% |
| 2021 | 1.9% | -7.8% |
| 2022 | 1.8% | -5.4% |
| 2023 | 1.6% | -7.9% |
| 2024 | 2.2% | +34.4% |
| 2025 | 2.3% | +4.9% |
Romania compared with similar countries
- Romania's 2.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.1%, 1.1× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Romania's 2.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2.0%, 1.1× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Romania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +125.5% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.2% | 1.9% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.3% | 2.4% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.9% | 1.3% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Romania
More public sector data for Romania
- 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 421.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 14.59 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0007 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -19.19 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Romania?
- Military expenditure in Romania was 2.3% in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Romania?
- The highest recorded value was 4.8% in 1989.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Romania?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 2012.
- How does Romania rank for military expenditure?
- Romania ranks 57th out of 167 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Romania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 57.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Romania 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