Military Spending by Country
The world spent $2.6 trillion on military in 2024. The United States alone accounts for 37% of the global total — more than the next 10 countries combined.
Top 10 Military Spenders
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, 2024 figures. All amounts in current US dollars (billions).
The US Spends More Than the Next 10 Combined
This is not a close competition. US military spending dwarfs every other nation on Earth. To put it in perspective:
- The US spends 3x more than China
- The US spends 6x more than Russia
- The US spends 12x more than India
- The entire EU combined spends about $300 billion — less than a third of the US
- The US has 750+ military bases in 80+ countries. No other nation comes close.
Global Military Spending Trends (2000–2024)
Global military spending has surged since 2000, driven by the War on Terror, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and US-China competition. The world is now spending more on military than at any point since WWII (in real terms).
NATO Spending: The 2% Target
NATO members pledged to spend 2% of GDP on defense by 2024. The US far exceeds this target, while many European allies have historically fallen short. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has accelerated European defense spending.
| Country | Spending | % of GDP | Meets 2%? |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $968B | 3.4% | ✅ |
| United Kingdom | $77B | 2.3% | ✅ |
| Germany | $86B | 2.1% | ✅ |
| France | $64B | 2.1% | ✅ |
| Italy | $35B | 1.6% | ❌ |
| Canada | $27B | 1.4% | ❌ |
| Turkey | $25B | 1.6% | ❌ |
| Poland | $32B | 4.2% | ✅ |
| Netherlands | $18B | 1.8% | ❌ |
| Spain | $17B | 1.3% | ❌ |
Top 40 Countries — Full Rankings
Click column headers to sort. All amounts in current US dollars (millions).
| # ↑ | Country | Spending ($B) | % World | 10yr Trend | US Bases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | $968.4 | 37.3% | +18.8% | 824 |
| 2 | China | $317.6 | 12.2% | +59.4% | — |
| 3 | Russia | $150.5 | 5.8% | +99.9% | — |
| 4 | Germany | $86.3 | 3.3% | +88.6% | 79 |
| 5 | India | $83.6 | 3.2% | +42% | — |
| 6 | Saudi Arabia | $79.0 | 3% | -20.2% | 10 |
| 7 | United Kingdom | $77.4 | 3% | +23.4% | 17 |
| 8 | Ukraine | $66.8 | 2.6% | +1250.5% | — |
| 9 | France | $63.1 | 2.4% | +20.9% | — |
| 10 | Japan | $58.4 | 2.2% | +49.5% | 87 |
| 11 | South Korea | $48.5 | 1.9% | +30.1% | — |
| 12 | Israel | $45.3 | 1.7% | +134.6% | 7 |
| 13 | Italy | $37.4 | 1.4% | +44.8% | 30 |
| 14 | Poland | $34.5 | 1.3% | +158.6% | 4 |
| 15 | Australia | $33.0 | 1.3% | +24.5% | 7 |
| 16 | Canada | $29.1 | 1.1% | +37.8% | 2 |
| 17 | Spain | $23.9 | 0.9% | +34.6% | 4 |
| 18 | Netherlands | $22.4 | 0.9% | +110.8% | 6 |
| 19 | Turkey | $21.9 | 0.8% | +109.6% | 10 |
| 20 | Brazil | $21.7 | 0.8% | -14.4% | 1 |
| 21 | Algeria | $20.4 | 0.8% | +69.3% | — |
| 22 | Taiwan | $16.6 | 0.6% | +48.4% | — |
| 23 | Mexico | $16.5 | 0.6% | +128.9% | — |
| 24 | Singapore | $14.6 | 0.6% | +32.5% | 2 |
| 25 | Colombia | $12.2 | 0.5% | +35.2% | 2 |
| 26 | Sweden | $11.7 | 0.5% | +113.1% | — |
| 27 | Indonesia | $11.2 | 0.4% | +31.5% | 1 |
| 28 | Norway | $10.3 | 0.4% | +78.9% | 8 |
| 29 | Denmark | $9.8 | 0.4% | +154.3% | — |
| 30 | Belgium | $8.2 | 0.3% | +57.8% | 11 |
| 31 | Pakistan | $8.2 | 0.3% | -0.7% | 7 |
| 32 | Romania | $8.1 | 0.3% | +143% | 6 |
| 33 | Greece | $7.8 | 0.3% | +44.6% | 8 |
| 34 | Kuwait | $7.6 | 0.3% | +10.3% | 10 |
| 35 | Finland | $6.9 | 0.3% | +72.8% | — |
| 36 | Czechia | $6.7 | 0.3% | +128.7% | — |
| 37 | Iran | $6.6 | 0.3% | +21.3% | — |
| 38 | Switzerland | $6.5 | 0.2% | +26.3% | — |
| 39 | Philippines | $6.1 | 0.2% | +66.7% | 8 |
| 40 | Oman | $5.9 | 0.2% | -28.1% | 7 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country spends the most on military?
The United States spends the most on its military by a wide margin — approximately $968 billion in 2024. This is more than the next 10 countries combined. China is second at roughly $318 billion, followed by Russia at $150 billion.
How much does the world spend on military?
Global military spending reached approximately $2.6 trillion in 2024, an all-time record. This represents roughly 2.3% of global GDP. The United States accounts for approximately 37% of all global military expenditure.
What percentage of GDP does the US spend on military?
The US spends approximately 3.4% of GDP on defense. This is above the NATO target of 2% but below Cold War levels (which peaked at 14% during Korea and 9% during Vietnam). Some countries, like Saudi Arabia, spend 6-8% of GDP.
Do NATO countries meet the 2% GDP target?
As of 2024, roughly 23 of 31 NATO members meet or exceed the 2% GDP spending target, up from just 3 in 2014. The US (3.4%), Poland (4.2%), Greece (3.0%), and the Baltic states exceed it significantly. Major economies like Germany (2.1%) recently crossed the threshold, partly due to the Ukraine war.
Related Pages
Sources
- Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database
- NATO — Defence Expenditure of NATO Countries (2014-2024)
- International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) — The Military Balance 2024
- World Bank — Military expenditure (% of GDP)