Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in Guatemala
Guatemala: Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) was 3.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Military expenditure in Guatemala, 1995–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of general government expenditure.
Analysis
Guatemala recorded 3.5% for military expenditure in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 16.4% on the previous year and up 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Guatemala peaked at 11.5% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 2009.
That places Guatemala 130th out of 164 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | % of general government expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 11.5% | — |
| 1996 | 9.5% | -17.6% |
| 1997 | 7.0% | -26.8% |
| 1998 | 5.8% | -17.2% |
| 1999 | 4.9% | -15.3% |
| 2000 | 6.4% | +31.4% |
| 2001 | 7.3% | +13.1% |
| 2002 | 5.5% | -24.2% |
| 2003 | 5.4% | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 3.6% | -33.7% |
| 2005 | 2.8% | -21.7% |
| 2006 | 2.9% | +5.2% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | -5.2% |
| 2008 | 3.1% | +11.8% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | -11.8% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 2.9% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | +10.6% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | +6.0% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 3.2% | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | +8.6% |
| 2017 | 3.0% | -14.3% |
| 2018 | 2.8% | -6.0% |
| 2019 | 3.2% | +13.3% |
| 2020 | 2.8% | -11.6% |
| 2021 | 2.9% | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 3.2% | +11.5% |
| 2023 | 3.1% | -5.6% |
| 2024 | 3.0% | -1.9% |
| 2025 | 3.5% | +16.4% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 3.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.9%, 72% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 3.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 3.7%, 95% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.7% | 4.9% | 11.5% | 5 |
| 2000s | 4.3% | 2.8% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
More public sector data for Guatemala
- 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 6.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.331 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -40 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Guatemala?
- Military expenditure in Guatemala was 3.5% in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 11.5% in 1995.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 2009.
- How does Guatemala rank for military expenditure?
- Guatemala ranks 130th out of 164 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Guatemala 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