Total global military spending rose 2.6 percent to $1.8 trillion in 2018, according to new data published by SIPRI. While no country comes close to the $649 billion spent by the U.S. last year, the situation is very different when it comes to spending as a share of GDP. Our first infographic has more details. As Japanese Emperor Akihito declares historic abdication, we’re continuing further down with a list of the country’s longest-serving emperors, writes Niall McCarthy in Statista.
Even though Saudi Arabia decreased military spending by $4.6 billion last year, it still accounted for a whopping 8.8 percent of the kingdom’s GDP, the highest share of any country in SIPRI’s analysis. By contrast, the $649 billion spent by Washington «only» accounted for 3.2 percent of U.S. GDP while Russia’s recent spending increases account for 3.9 percent
In
2018, total global military expenditure rose 2.6 percent to $1.8
trillion, according to new
data from the Stockholm International Peace Research
Institute (SIPRI). It has reached its highest level since 1988 as
well as being 76 percent higher than the post cold war low of 1998.
U.S. military spending grew for the first time in seven years,
climbing to $649 billion due to new procurement projects from
the Trump
administration. No other country comes close to matching U.S.
spending and it is nearly as much as the next eight-largest spending
countries combined.
Despite increasing its defense
budget for the 24th year in succession, China came a distant second
for military spending last year with an estimated $250 billion –
nearly ten times as much as it spent in 1994. Saudi Arabia came third
for military spending ($68 billion), followed by India ($67 billion)
and France ($64 billion). When it comes to military budgets as a
share of GDP, however, the situation is very different
indeed.
Despite a $4.6 billion decrease in spending last
year, the
military still accounted for 8.8 percent of Saudi Arabia’s
GDP in 2018, the highest share of any country in SIPRI’s analysis. By
contrast, the $649 billion spent by Washington «only»
accounted for 3.2 percent of U.S. GDP. Elsewhere, Russia’s increases
in spending on its armed forces pushed its share to 3.9 percent while
Germany’s was just 1.2 percent. President Trump has consistently
criticized Germany’s low level of expenditure, given that NATO calls
on its members to dedicate 2 percent of their GDP on defense. So far,
only six European governments are above that treshold.
By Niall McCarthy Data Journalist
niall.mccarthy@statista.com+49 (40) 284 841 562
