Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Switzerland
Switzerland: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 0.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
0.8%
Change on year
up 8.5%
World rank
142nd
of 167 countries
All-time high
2.6%
in 1962
All-time low
0.6%
in 2014
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military expenditure in Switzerland, 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 Switzerland is 0.8%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 8.5% on the previous year and up 16.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Switzerland peaked at 2.6% in 1962 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 2014.
That places Switzerland 142nd out of 167 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.3% | — |
| 1961 | 2.5% | +5.5% |
| 1962 | 2.6% | +4.0% |
| 1963 | 2.5% | -2.0% |
| 1964 | 2.5% | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 2.5% | -2.7% |
| 1966 | 2.5% | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 2.4% | -5.9% |
| 1968 | 2.2% | -8.6% |
| 1969 | 2.2% | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 2.1% | -4.3% |
| 1971 | 2.1% | -2.4% |
| 1972 | 2.0% | -4.1% |
| 1973 | 1.9% | -5.4% |
| 1974 | 1.9% | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 1.9% | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 2.2% | +13.8% |
| 1977 | 2.0% | -6.5% |
| 1978 | 2.0% | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 2.0% | +3.7% |
| 1980 | 1.7% | -17.7% |
| 1981 | 1.7% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 1.7% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 1.7% | -2.7% |
| 1985 | 1.8% | +7.3% |
| 1986 | 1.7% | -9.0% |
| 1987 | 1.6% | -6.0% |
| 1988 | 1.6% | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 1.5% | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 1.6% | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 1.5% | -2.2% |
| 1992 | 1.5% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 1.4% | -10.3% |
| 1994 | 1.3% | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 1.4% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 1.3% | -5.3% |
| 1997 | 1.2% | -4.9% |
| 1998 | 1.2% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 1.1% | -8.4% |
| 2000 | 1.0% | -5.2% |
| 2001 | 1.0% | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 1.0% | -3.6% |
| 2003 | 0.9% | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 0.9% | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 0.8% | -6.3% |
| 2006 | 0.8% | -9.5% |
| 2007 | 0.7% | -4.7% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | -6.1% |
| 2011 | 0.7% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 0.7% | +6.5% |
| 2014 | 0.6% | -10.9% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 0.7% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 0.7% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.7% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | +6.7% |
| 2020 | 0.8% | +10.9% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | -12.9% |
| 2022 | 0.7% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 0.7% | +3.5% |
| 2024 | 0.7% | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 0.8% | +8.5% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 0.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.1%, 36% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 0.8% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2.0%, 37% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.0% | 1.9% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 139 Bangladesh 0.8% compare
- 140 Dominican Republic 0.8% compare
- 141 Cote d'Ivoire 0.8% compare
- 143 South Africa 0.7% compare
- 144 Mexico 0.7% compare
- 145 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.7% compare
More public sector data for Switzerland
- 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 33.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 3.71 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 120 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Switzerland?
- Military expenditure in Switzerland was 0.8% in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.6% in 1962.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 2014.
- How does Switzerland rank for military expenditure?
- Switzerland ranks 142nd out of 167 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland 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