Military expenditure in Romania

Romania: Military expenditure was 2.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
2.3%
Change on year
up 43.3%
World rank
51st
of 164 countries
All-time high
4.8%
in 1989
All-time low
1.2%
in 2012
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Military expenditure in Romania, 1980–2024

123451980200220241980: 2.2 % of GDP1981: 2.2 % of GDP1982: 2 % of GDP1983: 2 % of GDP1984: 1.9 % of GDP1985: 4.3 % of GDP1986: 4.4 % of GDP1987: 3.9 % of GDP1988: 4.2 % of GDP1989: 4.8 % of GDP1990: 4.5 % of GDP1991: 4.8 % of GDP1992: 4.2 % of GDP1993: 2.7 % of GDP1994: 3.1 % of GDP1995: 2.6 % of GDP1996: 2.4 % of GDP1997: 3 % of GDP1998: 3 % of GDP1999: 2.6 % of GDP2000: 2.5 % of GDP2001: 2.4 % of GDP2002: 2.3 % of GDP2003: 2.1 % of GDP2004: 2 % of GDP2005: 2 % of GDP2006: 1.8 % of GDP2007: 1.5 % of GDP2008: 1.4 % of GDP2009: 1.3 % of GDP2010: 1.2 % of GDP2011: 1.2 % of GDP2012: 1.2 % of GDP2013: 1.3 % of GDP2014: 1.3 % of GDP2015: 1.5 % of GDP2016: 1.4 % of GDP2017: 1.7 % of GDP2018: 1.8 % of GDP2019: 1.8 % of GDP2020: 2 % of GDP2021: 1.8 % of GDP2022: 1.8 % of GDP2023: 1.6 % of GDP2024: 2.3 % of GDP

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 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 43.3% on the previous year and up 70.5% 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 51st out of 164 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.

Military expenditure in Romania, year by year

Annual values for Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Romania, 1980 to 2024.
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% +3.3%
2019 1.8% +2.2%
2020 2.0% +9.5%
2021 1.8% -7.8%
2022 1.8% -5.3%
2023 1.6% -8.4%
2024 2.3% +43.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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 1.9% 1.6% 2.3% 5

Countries ranked near Romania

  1. 48 Iraq 2.4% compare
  2. 49 Uruguay 2.3% compare
  3. 50 Finland 2.3% compare
  4. 52 United Kingdom 2.3% compare
  5. 53 India 2.3% compare
  6. 54 Niger 2.2% compare

See the full ranking of 209 places →

More public sector data for Romania

All data for Romania →

Frequently asked questions

What is military expenditure in Romania?
Military expenditure in Romania was 2.3% in 2024, 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 51st out of 164 countries with data for 2024.
Is military expenditure rising or falling in Romania?
Over the last ten years it is up 70.5%. 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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Military expenditure in Romania. Statizoid, drawing on SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/military-expenditure-percent-of-gdp/romania/

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About this data

Indicator
Military expenditure (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
209 places, 10,533 data points, 1960–2024
Last refreshed

Military expenditure by country as percentage of gross domestic product