Military Spending Statistics: The Main Takeaways
Military spending in 2024 was not just large; it was historically large, geographically broad, and still accelerating.
The headline number is simple, but the story behind it is more useful: several regions hit new highs, a growing number of countries crossed major spending thresholds, and the global total moved further away from the levels of the mid-2010s. The figures below show where the money went, how fast it changed, and which governments mattered most.
Table of Contents
- Global Snapshot
- The Largest Spendiers
- NATO And Europe
- Asia, The Middle East, And Africa
- Country Profiles To Watch
- What The Percentage Changes Reveal
- Reading The Numbers Carefully
Global Snapshot
World military expenditure reached $2718 billion in 2024, according to SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024.
That alone makes the year notable, but the rate of change matters too. Global military spending increased 9.4% in real terms from 2023, and it rose for the 10th consecutive year in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024; SIPRI Yearbook 2025, Military expenditure).
A longer view shows the trend is not a one-year spike. World military expenditure was 37% higher in 2024 than in 2015 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). In other words, the 2024 total reflects a multi-year expansion rather than a short burst of spending.
Quick facts at a glance
- World military expenditure: $2718 billion in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- Year-over-year change: +9.4% in real terms (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- Stretch trend: 10 consecutive years of growth (SIPRI Yearbook 2025, Military expenditure)
- Comparison with 2015: +37% (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- More than 100 countries increased military spending in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
That last point is easy to miss, but it is important: this was not a narrow surge concentrated in only a few states. More than 100 countries worldwide increased their military spending in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
The Largest Spenders
The top five military spenders accounted for $1635 billion in combined spending in 2024, which equals 60% of global military spending (SIPRI press release on global military expenditure, 2025).
That concentration explains why individual country changes can move the global total so sharply. The largest budgets are not just large in absolute terms; they dominate the world distribution.
| Country or group | 2024 spending | Notable statistic | Source label |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $997 billion | 37% of global military expenditure | SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024 |
| China | $314 billion | 30th consecutive year of growth | SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024 |
| Russia | $149 billion | 7.1% of GDP | SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024 |
| India | $86.1 billion | +1.6% in 2024 | SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024 |
| United Kingdom | $81.8 billion | 2.3% of GDP | SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024 |
| France | $64.7 billion | 2.1% of GDP | SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024 |
| Germany | $88.5 billion | +28% in 2024 | SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024 |
| Japan | $55.3 billion | +21% in 2024 | SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024 |
The United States remained the single biggest military spender by a wide margin. The USA spent $997 billion on its military in 2024, 5.7% more than in 2023, and 19% more than in 2015 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
The scale gap is also stark in bilateral terms. The USA spent 3.2 times more than China in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). The USA also accounted for 37% of global military expenditure and 66% of NATO military spending in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
China’s 2024 total was estimated at $314 billion, up 7.0% in the year, with 30 consecutive years of growth and a 59% increase versus 2015 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). That kind of persistence matters more than a single annual percentage because it shows a structural rise in spending capacity.
Russia’s military expenditure reached $149 billion in 2024, rising 38% in the year. Russia spent 7.1% of GDP on its military, and military spending amounted to 19% of total Russian government expenditure (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). Around 30% of Russian budgetary spending was classified in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024), which makes the public picture less transparent than the raw budget number suggests.
NATO And Europe
Europe was one of the clearest growth centers in 2024. Europe’s total military spending reached $693 billion, up 17% in the year and 83% higher than in 2015 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
NATO spending rose too. Military expenditure by all NATO members increased 8.9% in 2024 and was 31% higher than in 2015 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). European NATO members accounted for 30% of total NATO spending in 2024, with NATO members in Europe spending $454 billion (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
A useful NATO snapshot
- Average military burden of NATO members: 2.2% of GDP (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- NATO military expenditure per capita: $1528 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- NATO members’ military expenditure averaged 4.9% of government expenditure (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- 18 NATO members met or exceeded the 2.0% target in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- That count rose from 11 in 2023 to 18 in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
The NATO data shows how much the alliance has shifted in a single year. All 32 NATO members spent at least 2.0% of GDP on their militaries in 2024 except Iceland, which has no military expenditure, and 18 members met or exceeded the 2.0% target (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
That distribution also shows wide internal variation. NATO members’ military burden ranged from Luxembourg’s 1.0% of GDP to Poland’s 4.2% (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). The spread is broad enough that “NATO spending” does not describe one behavior; it describes many national budgets with very different priorities.
Germany and Poland illustrate the point. Germany spent $88.5 billion on its military in 2024, up 28% year over year, and its military burden was 1.9% of GDP (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). Poland spent $38.0 billion, increased military spending by 31%, and posted a military burden of 4.2% of GDP (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
The UK and France remained major European spenders as well. The United Kingdom spent $81.8 billion, equal to 2.3% of GDP, and has pledged to spend 2.5% of GDP on the military by 2027 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). France spent $64.7 billion, equal to 2.1% of GDP, and its 2024 military aid to Ukraine was up to $3.0 billion (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
Sweden is another useful case. Sweden spent $12.0 billion on its military in 2024, a 34% increase, and its military burden reached 2.0% of GDP (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). Sweden’s support fund provides $2.4 billion in military aid to Ukraine between 2024 and 2026 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
Asia, The Middle East, And Africa
Asia and Oceania spent $629 billion on the military in 2024, up 6.3% from the previous year and 46% higher than in 2015 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
East Asia alone accounted for $433 billion, with spending up 7.8% in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). The concentration in East Asia means that the region’s total is driven heavily by a handful of large budgets.
Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan each show different versions of the same broader story. Japan spent $55.3 billion, up 21%, and its military burden reached 1.4% of GDP. Japan also spent $13 billion on long-range strike and air defense systems in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). South Korea spent $47.6 billion, up 1.4%, with a military burden of 2.6% of GDP (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). Taiwan spent $16.5 billion, up 1.8%, and military spending was 48% higher than in 2015 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
The Middle East posted one of the sharpest regional increases. The region spent an estimated $243 billion on the military in 2024, up 15% (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
Israel stands out in that group. Israel spent $46.5 billion on its military in 2024, a 65% increase, and its military burden reached 8.8% of GDP (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). That burden rose from 5.4% of GDP in 2023 to 8.8% in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024), which makes the year-over-year jump especially important.
Saudi Arabia spent an estimated $80.3 billion on its military in 2024, 1.5% higher than in 2023 and 20% lower than in 2015 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). Iran spent $7.9 billion, which was 10% lower than in 2023 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). Lebanon, by contrast, spent $635 million and saw military spending rise 58% in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
Africa’s military spending totaled $52.1 billion in 2024, up 3.0% (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). But the continent’s aggregate figure hides a split between North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.
North African military spending reached $30.2 billion, up 8.8% and 43% higher than in 2015 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). Algeria spent $21.8 billion, and its military budget accounted for 21% of government expenditure in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). Morocco spent $5.5 billion in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
Sub-Saharan Africa spent $21.9 billion, but the region fell 3.2% in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). South Africa spent $2.8 billion, down 6.3% in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). That contrast matters because it shows that “Africa” is not moving in one direction.
Country Profiles To Watch
A few country-by-country details help explain the wider pattern.
United States
The United States remained the anchor of the global system. It spent $997 billion in 2024, its military spending was 5.7% higher than in 2023, and the US Department of Defense accounted for 89% of US military spending (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). The US Department of Defense supplemental spending totaled $72.8 billion in 2024, including $48.4 billion to Ukraine and $10.6 billion supporting Israel (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
China
China’s estimated $314 billion total reflects continuity more than volatility. The country posted its 30th consecutive year of military spending growth in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). For readers tracking long-run trends, that uninterrupted series is one of the most important numbers in the dataset.
Russia
Russia’s $149 billion total looks smaller than the US figure, but the burden is very high relative to GDP at 7.1% (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). The share of government spending and the classified budget component make it especially relevant for analysts interested in fiscal stress and transparency.
Ukraine
Ukraine spent $64.7 billion on its military in 2024, up 2.9%, and that amount equaled 54% of total government spending (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). Ukraine’s military spending equaled 43% of Russia’s spending in 2024, and it received at least $60 billion in financial military aid in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
Japan
Japan’s 21% increase is notable not only because of the size of the change, but because it came with targeted capability spending. The $13 billion devoted to long-range strike and air defense systems in 2024 shows where the budget is moving (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
What The Percentage Changes Reveal
Percent changes often tell the deeper story because they identify momentum, not just scale.
Here are the broadest movement signals from 2024:
- Europe: +17% (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- Middle East: +15% (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- NATO: +8.9% (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- Asia and Oceania: +6.3% (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- Americas: +5.8% (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- Africa: +3.0% (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- North Africa: +8.8% (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
- East Asia: +7.8% (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024)
The biggest increases were not necessarily where the biggest spending bases already existed. Poland rose 31%, Sweden 34%, Germany 28%, Japan 21%, Israel 65%, and Russia 38% in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). Those are the types of changes that can alter future regional balances even before the absolute totals catch up.
A few countries moved in the opposite direction. South Africa’s military spending fell 6.3%, sub-Saharan Africa fell 3.2%, and Iran’s military spending was 10% lower than in 2023 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). Saudi Arabia also remained below its 2015 level, at 20% lower in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
Reading The Numbers Carefully
Military spending statistics are often read too quickly. The totals matter, but the context matters just as much.
First, regional figures can conceal large internal differences. Europe, NATO, Africa, and Asia each contain countries with very different burdens, growth rates, and strategic pressures (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
Second, percent-of-GDP measures can be more revealing than absolute dollars when you want to understand fiscal pressure. Russia at 7.1% of GDP, Israel at 8.8%, Poland at 4.2%, and Ukraine at 34% all describe very different budget situations even though the raw dollar figures vary widely (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
Third, some totals include special spending categories that are easy to overlook. The US Department of Defense supplemental spending of $72.8 billion in 2024, including support for Ukraine and Israel, is a reminder that the structure of the budget matters as much as the headline total (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024).
Finally, the long-run trend is still upward. World military expenditure was 37% higher in 2024 than in 2015, and more than 100 countries increased spending in 2024 (SIPRI Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024). That combination suggests a broad reallocation toward defense that is visible across several regions, not just in a single crisis zone.