Military expenditure in Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Military expenditure was 10.3% in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
10.3%
Change on year
up 106.5%
World rank
32nd
of 161 countries
All-time high
16.1%
in 2004
All-time low
3.7%
in 2017
Years of data
18
2004–2021

Military expenditure in Afghanistan, 2004–2021

2.557.51012.5152004201220212004: 16.1 % of general government expenditure2005: 12.7 % of general government expenditure2006: 10.4 % of general government expenditure2007: 12 % of general government expenditure2008: 11.2 % of general government expenditure2009: 9.9 % of general government expenditure2010: 9.4 % of general government expenditure2011: 8.3 % of general government expenditure2012: 4.7 % of general government expenditure2013: 4.3 % of general government expenditure2014: 5.1 % of general government expenditure2015: 3.8 % of general government expenditure2016: 3.7 % of general government expenditure2017: 3.7 % of general government expenditure2018: 3.7 % of general government expenditure2019: 4.3 % of general government expenditure2020: 5 % of general government expenditure2021: 10.3 % of general government expenditure

Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of general government expenditure.

Analysis

Afghanistan recorded 10.3% for military expenditure in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 106.5% on the previous year and up 23.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, military expenditure in Afghanistan peaked at 16.1% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 2017.

That places Afghanistan 32nd out of 161 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 18 years of available data.

Military expenditure in Afghanistan, year by year

Annual values for Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in Afghanistan, 2004 to 2021.
Year % of general government expenditure Change
2004 16.1%
2005 12.7% -21.1%
2006 10.4% -18.4%
2007 12.0% +15.2%
2008 11.2% -6.6%
2009 9.9% -11.7%
2010 9.4% -5.2%
2011 8.3% -11.3%
2012 4.7% -43.4%
2013 4.3% -8.2%
2014 5.1% +18.5%
2015 3.8% -25.0%
2016 3.7% -4.0%
2017 3.7% -0.8%
2018 3.7% +2.0%
2019 4.3% +14.8%
2020 5.0% +16.3%
2021 10.3% +106.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 12.0% 9.9% 16.1% 6
2010s 5.1% 3.7% 9.4% 10
2020s 7.6% 5.0% 10.3% 2

Countries ranked near Afghanistan

  1. 29 Republic of Korea 11.3% compare
  2. 30 Uzbekistan 11.1% compare
  3. 31 Morocco 10.7% compare
  4. 33 Bahrain 10.2% compare
  5. 34 Colombia 10.1% compare
  6. 35 Uganda 10.1% compare

See the full ranking of 204 places →

More public sector data for Afghanistan

All data for Afghanistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is military expenditure in Afghanistan?
Military expenditure in Afghanistan was 10.3% in 2021, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Afghanistan?
The highest recorded value was 16.1% in 2004.
What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Afghanistan?
The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 2017.
How does Afghanistan rank for military expenditure?
Afghanistan ranks 32nd out of 161 countries with data for 2021.
Is military expenditure rising or falling in Afghanistan?
Over the last ten years it is up 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Military expenditure in Afghanistan. Statizoid, drawing on SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/military-expenditure-percent-of-general-government-expenditure/afghanistan/

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About this data

Indicator
Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure)
Unit
% of general government expenditure
Source
SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
204 places, 5,828 data points, 1988–2024
Last refreshed

Military expenditure expressed as a percentage of general government expenditure