Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in OECD members
OECD members: Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) was 6.1% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Military expenditure in OECD members, 1995–2024
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of general government expenditure.
Analysis
In 2024, military expenditure in OECD members stood at 6.1%.
The figure is up 8.2% on the previous year and up 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in OECD members peaked at 6.4% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 1995.
OECD members ranks 28th of 44 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in OECD members, year by year
| Year | % of general government expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 3.9% | — |
| 1996 | 4.0% | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 5.8% | +45.2% |
| 2002 | 6.1% | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 6.2% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 6.3% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 6.4% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 6.3% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 6.2% | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 6.1% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 6.1% | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 6.2% | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 6.0% | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 5.9% | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 5.7% | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 5.5% | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 5.6% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 5.5% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 5.5% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 5.5% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 5.6% | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 5.1% | -10.6% |
| 2021 | 5.0% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 5.5% | +10.8% |
| 2023 | 5.6% | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 6.1% | +8.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in OECD members changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +45.2% | 4.0% | 5.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.0% | 3.9% | 4.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 6.2% | 5.8% | 6.4% | 9 |
| 2010s | 5.7% | 5.5% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.4% | 5.0% | 6.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
- 25 Burkina Faso 13.2% compare
- 26 Central African Republic 12.5% compare
- 27 Brunei 12.2% compare
- 28 Iran 11.2% compare
- 29 Uzbekistan 11.1% compare
- 30 Bahrain 10.8% compare
- 31 South Korea 10.8% compare
More public sector data for OECD members
- Arms imports 13.96 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 8.5 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0002 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 26.58 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 11.87 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 1,238 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0253 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 12.54 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 1.73 trillion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 265.52 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in OECD members?
- Military expenditure in OECD members was 6.1% in 2024, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 6.4% in 2005.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 1995.
- How does OECD members rank for military expenditure?
- OECD members ranks 28th out of 44 groups with data for 2024.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this OECD members 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