Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Singapore
Singapore: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 3.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
3.0%
Change on year
up 8.8%
World rank
36th
of 167 countries
All-time high
5.7%
in 1977
All-time low
2.4%
in 2022
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Military expenditure in Singapore, 1970–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure in Singapore stood at 3.0%.
The figure is up 8.8% on the previous year and down 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Singapore peaked at 5.7% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 2022.
Singapore ranks 36th of 167 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 56 years of available data.
Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Singapore, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5.4% | — |
| 1971 | 5.6% | +4.5% |
| 1972 | 5.1% | -9.9% |
| 1973 | 4.7% | -7.5% |
| 1974 | 4.3% | -8.7% |
| 1975 | 4.6% | +8.3% |
| 1976 | 5.0% | +8.5% |
| 1977 | 5.7% | +12.5% |
| 1978 | 5.2% | -8.5% |
| 1979 | 4.7% | -10.5% |
| 1980 | 4.6% | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 4.7% | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 4.7% | -1.9% |
| 1983 | 4.1% | -12.5% |
| 1984 | 4.7% | +15.4% |
| 1985 | 5.7% | +20.4% |
| 1986 | 5.4% | -3.8% |
| 1987 | 4.9% | -10.5% |
| 1988 | 4.5% | -6.6% |
| 1989 | 4.5% | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 4.6% | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 4.4% | -4.0% |
| 1992 | 4.5% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 4.1% | -8.5% |
| 1994 | 3.8% | -7.3% |
| 1995 | 4.2% | +10.3% |
| 1996 | 4.3% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 4.5% | +4.5% |
| 1998 | 5.2% | +17.0% |
| 1999 | 5.2% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 4.5% | -13.4% |
| 2001 | 4.8% | +6.5% |
| 2002 | 4.9% | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 4.8% | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 4.4% | -9.4% |
| 2005 | 4.3% | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 3.9% | -8.2% |
| 2007 | 3.6% | -8.2% |
| 2008 | 3.9% | +6.9% |
| 2009 | 3.9% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 3.4% | -12.9% |
| 2011 | 3.2% | -5.5% |
| 2012 | 3.1% | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 3.0% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 3.1% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 3.0% | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 2.8% | -5.5% |
| 2019 | 2.8% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 2.8% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 2.5% | -10.1% |
| 2022 | 2.4% | -6.6% |
| 2023 | 2.8% | +17.3% |
| 2024 | 2.8% | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 3.0% | +8.8% |
Singapore compared with similar countries
- Singapore's 3.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.1%, 1.5× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Singapore's 3.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.4%, 2.2× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.0% | 4.3% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.8% | 4.1% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.5% | 3.8% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.3% | 3.6% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.7% | 2.4% | 3.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
More public sector data for Singapore
- 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 57.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 57.65 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0006 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -27.95 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Singapore?
- Military expenditure in Singapore 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 Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 5.7% in 1977.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 2022.
- How does Singapore rank for military expenditure?
- Singapore ranks 36th out of 167 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Singapore 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