Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in Bahrain
Bahrain: Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) was 10.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
10.8%
Change on year
up 6.9%
World rank
30th
of 164 countries
All-time high
19.3%
in 1996
All-time low
10.1%
in 2024
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Military expenditure in Bahrain, 1990–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of general government expenditure.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure in Bahrain stood at 10.8%.
The figure is up 6.9% on the previous year and down 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Bahrain peaked at 19.3% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 10.1%, in 2024.
Bahrain ranks 30th of 164 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in Bahrain, year by year
| Year | % of general government expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 14.3% | — |
| 1991 | 17.0% | +18.9% |
| 1992 | 16.7% | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 16.8% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 16.3% | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 17.1% | +4.9% |
| 1996 | 19.3% | +12.9% |
| 1997 | 13.6% | -29.5% |
| 1998 | 17.6% | +29.2% |
| 1999 | 17.0% | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 17.2% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 14.6% | -14.6% |
| 2002 | 14.5% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 15.9% | +9.6% |
| 2004 | 15.5% | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 12.9% | -16.9% |
| 2006 | 12.9% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 12.7% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 11.8% | -6.5% |
| 2009 | 14.1% | +18.9% |
| 2010 | 10.1% | -28.2% |
| 2011 | 11.5% | +13.2% |
| 2012 | 11.9% | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 12.5% | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 15.6% | +24.7% |
| 2015 | 12.7% | -18.2% |
| 2016 | 13.4% | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 13.4% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 12.0% | -10.3% |
| 2019 | 12.3% | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 11.3% | -8.1% |
| 2021 | 11.5% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 12.1% | +5.4% |
| 2023 | 12.1% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 10.1% | -16.2% |
| 2025 | 10.8% | +6.9% |
Bahrain compared with similar countries
- Bahrain's 10.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.8%, 2.3× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Bahrain's 10.8% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 12.3%, 88% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16.6% | 13.6% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.2% | 11.8% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.5% | 10.1% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.3% | 10.1% | 12.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bahrain
- 27 Brunei 12.2% compare
- 28 Iran 11.2% compare
- 29 Uzbekistan 11.1% compare
- 31 South Korea 10.8% compare
- 32 Mauritania 10.8% compare
- 33 Guinea 10.6% compare
More public sector data for Bahrain
- Democracy, 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)
- Arms imports 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 533.78 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.018 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 188.44 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 848.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 871.15 current USD per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Bahrain?
- Military expenditure in Bahrain was 10.8% in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Bahrain?
- The highest recorded value was 19.3% in 1996.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Bahrain?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.1% in 2024.
- How does Bahrain rank for military expenditure?
- Bahrain ranks 30th out of 164 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Bahrain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bahrain 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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About this data
Military expenditure expressed as a percentage of general government expenditure