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Table 1. The 15 countries with the highest military expenditure in 2016 government budgets, including military
Spending gures are in US$, at current prices and exchange rates. Figures for spending. The falls in countries such as
changes are calculated from spending gures in constant (2015) prices. Figures Angola, Ecuador, Iraq, Mexico, Saudi
may not add up to displayed totals due to the conventions of rounding. Arabia, South Sudan and Venezuela have
Spending affected the wider regional trends.
as a
share of GDP THE TOP 15 MILITARY SPENDERS
Spending, Change, World
Rank (%)b
2016 ($b., 200716 share, IN 2016
2016 2015a Country MER) (%) 2016 (%) 2007 2016
The top 15 countries with the highest
1 1 USA 611 -4.8 36 3.8 3.3
2 2 China [215] 118 [13] [1.9] [1.9]
military spending in 2016 were the
3 4 Russia 69.2 87 4.1 [3.4] 5.3 same as those in 2015, although there
4 3 Saudi Arabia [63.7] 20 [3.8] 8.5 [10] were some changes in their ranking (see
5 7 India 55.9 54 3.3 2.3 2.5 table 1). The 15 largest spenders account
6 5 France 55.7 2.8 3.3 2.3 2.3 for $1360 billion, or 81 per cent, of total
7 6 UK 48.3 12 2.9 2.2 1.9 global spending. Between 2007 and 2016,
8 8 Japan 46.1 2.5 2.7 0.9 1.0 China has seen the biggest growth in mili-
9 9 Germany 41.1 6.8 2.4 1.2 1.2 tary spending, with an increase of 118 per
10 10 South Korea 36.8 35 2.2 2.5 2.7 cent, followed by Russia (87 per cent) and
11 11 Italy 27.9 -16 1.7 1.6 1.5 India (54 per cent). In the same period,
12 13 Australia 24.6 29 1.5 1.8 2.0
Italy (16 per cent), the United Kingdom
13 12 Brazil 23.7 18 1.4 1.5 1.3
(12 per cent) and the United States
14 14 UAEc [22.8] 123 [1.3] [3.3] [5.7]
(4.8 per cent) were the only countries in
15 15 Israel 18.0 19 1.1 6.7 5.8
the top 15 to see their military expend-
Total top 15 1 360 .. 81 .. ..
iture fall.
World total 1 686 14 100 2.3 2.2 In 2016, total US military expenditure
[ ] = SIPRI estimate; GDP = gross domestic product; MER = market exchange of $611 billion is over one-third (36 per
rates; UAE = United Arab Emirates. cent) of world military expenditure. This
a Rankings for 2015 are based on updated military expenditure gures for 2016 is nearly three times the level of Chinas
in the current edition of the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database. They may spending, which is ranked second (see
therefore differ from the rankings for 2015 given in the SIPRI Yearbook 2016 and gure 2). US military spending grew by
in other SIPRI publications in 2016. Countries are ranked according to military 1.7 per cent between 2015 and 2016, the
spending calculated using market exchange rates (MER).
b The gures for military expenditure as a share of gross domestic product rst increase after ve consecutive years
(GDP) are based on estimates of 2016 GDP from the International Monetary Fund
of decline. Despite this slight growth,
(IMF) World Economic Outlook and International Financial Statistics database, US military spending remains 20 per
Oct. 2016. cent lower than its peak in 2010. The
c The gures for the UAE are for 2014, as no data is available for 2015 and 2016. small upturn in 2016 can be attributed
The percentage change is from 2007 to 2014. to legislation adopted in 2013 and 2015,
which eased the budget limits imposed in
2011. However, given the context of the presidential election and the inability
of the US Congress and the White House to reach agreement on a budget
to be implemented on 1 October 2016, there is uncertainty about short-term
developments in the countrys military expenditure.
As a result of an unexpected increase in Russias military expenditure
in late 2016 and large cuts to Saudi Arabias military budget, Russia moved
above Saudi Arabia to the position of third largest spender in 2016. India
moved from 7th to 5th place after its largest annual spending increase since
2009. Meanwhile, both the UK and Brazil dropped one place in the rankings.
The UK fell from 6th to 7tha move largely attributed to the devaluation
of the British pound following the result of a referendum on the countrys
trends in world military expenditure, 2016 3
India, 3.3%
REGIONAL TRENDS 4
France, 3.3%
UK, 2.9%
Military expenditure in North America saw its rst annual
Japan, 2.7%
increase (1.7 per cent) since 2010. Central, Eastern and Western
Germany, 2.4%
Europe also recorded annual increases of 2.4, 3.5 and 2.6 per South Korea, 2.2%
cent, respectively (see gure 3). Asia and Oceanias spending Italy, 1.7%
Others, 19%
rose by 4.6 per cent in 2016. By contrast, military spending fell Australia, 1.5%
Brazil, 1.4%
in Central America and the Caribbean (9.1 per cent), South UAE, 1.3%
America (7.5 per cent), Africa (1.3 per cent) and the total of Israel, 1.1%
other year since 2007. This slowdown in growth Change in military expenditure (%)
4 All totals exclude figures for certain countries for which it is judged that reasonable estimates cannot
be made due to a long-term lack of data. These countries are Cuba, Eritrea, North Korea, Somalia, Syria,
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
4 sipri fact sheet
Americas
Military spending in Asia and Oceania amounted to $450 billion Table 4. Military expenditure in Asia and
in 2016, an increase of 4.6 per cent on 2015 (see table 4). This is Oceania
a slightly lower rate of growth than in the previous two years. Change (%)a
Spending,
This lower rate is partially related to the slowdown in the
2016 ($b.) 201516 200716
growth of Chinese military spending, which has historically
tracked Chinas GDP growth. Regional spending increased by Asia and Oceania b 450 4.6 64
64 per cent between 2007 and 2016, and all but three countries Central and South 73.3 6.4 51
Asia b
increased their spending. Between 2015 and 2016, military
East Asia c 4.3 74
expenditure grew in all subregions, ranging from a 1.7 per cent 308
Oceania 26.6 1.7 27
increase in Oceania to a 6.4 per cent increase in Central and South East Asia 41.9 5.1 47
South Asia. Between 2007 and 2016, East Asia had the largest a Changes are in real terms.
increase of all subregions, raising spending by 74 per cent. b Total excludes North Korea, Turkmenistan and
Five of the top fteen global spenders in 2016 are in Asia and Uzbekistan.
Oceania: China, India, Japan, South Korea and Australia (in c Total excludes North Korea.
ranked order). China had by far the highest military spending
in the region: an estimated $215 billion, or 48 per cent of regional spending.
This amount is almost four times that of Indias total, which is the second
largest in the region at $55.9 billion.
There are many ongoing tensions in the region: in the Korean Peninsula,
between North Korea and South Korea; between China and Japan, over
claims in the East China Sea; between China and several South East Asian
countries, over claims in the South China Sea; between India and Pakistan;
and between India and China. Such tensions help governments to continue to
justify the need to modernize their military capabilities, and to drive military
spending upwards. On the other hand, economic growth in the region has
generally continued, even if sometimes at a lower rate than in previous years,
which makes it possible to increase military spending without increasing the
military burden on the economy (i.e. its percentage of the GDP). Almost all
the countries in the region have kept their military spending as a percentage
of GDP at the same level since 2012.
Europe
At $334 billion in 2016, Europes military spending accounted Table 5. Military expenditure in Europe
for 20 per cent of global military expenditure. The gure is an
Change (%)a
increase of 2.8 per cent compared with 2015 and is only 5.7 per Spending,
cent higher than in 2007. Spending increased in all subregions: 2016 ($b.) 201516 200716
Central and Eastern Europes military expenditure increased Europe 334 2.8 5.7
by 2.4 and 3.5 per cent, respectively, in 2016, while in Western Central Europe 21.0 2.4 4.2
Europe spending rose by 2.6 per cent (see table 5). Eastern Europe 75.4 3.5 78
Four of the fteen largest military spenders in the world Western Europe 237 2.6 -6.2
France, the UK, Germany and Italy in ranked orderare in a Changes are in real terms.
attributed to its support for its local arms industry by funding domestic
procurement.
Central European countries continued to collectively increase their mili-
tary spending, which was up by 2.4 per cent in 2016 compared with 2015. This
represents a return to the level of the subregions average 10-year growth
rate after a 14 per cent increase between 2014 and 2015. The 2015 increase
is explained by a one-off payment for arms procurements made 10 years ago
by Poland, the subregions largest spender (44 per cent of Central European
military spending).
Many of the European countries with the largest relative increases in
military spending between 2015 and 2016 are in Central Europe. Given the
wider regional slowdown, this ongoing rise suggests that the perception of
an increased threat from Russia following the Ukraine crisis persists. At
44 per cent, Latvias increase in military expenditure in 2016 was the highest
in Europe, while Lithuanias military expenditure rose by 35 per cent (see
table 6).
In Eastern Europe, Russias military spending in 2016 was $69.2 billion,
an increase of 5.9 per cent over 2015 and 87 per cent compared with 2007.
Spending in 2016 was 5.3 per cent of GDPthe highest proportion since
Russia became an independent state and the seventh highest military burden
globally. This increased spending and heavy burden on the economy comes
at a time when the Russian economy is in serious trouble due to low oil and
gas prices and the economic sanctions imposed since 2014. It was originally
expected and planned that the Russian Government would reduce its spend-
ing, including military spending. However, late in 2016 actual spending
was pushed substantially higher by a decision to make a one-off payment of
roughly $11.8 billion in government debt to Russian arms producers. Without
this debt repayment, Russias military spending would have decreased by
12 per cent.
trends in world military expenditure, 2016 7
Middle East
SIPRI is not publishing an estimate of military spending for the Middle East
for 2016 as data is unavailable for Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, the UAE (which
was the second largest military spender in the region in 2014) and Yemen.
For those countries for which data is available, their combined total military
expenditure in 2016 showed a decrease of 17 per cent compared with 2015 but a
19 per cent increase compared with 2007. The decrease in 2016 came despite
the fact that all countries except Oman were militarily involved in at least
one armed conict in the region. This demonstrates the impact of the fall in
oil prices on the economies of several of the regions major military spenders.
The military burden is particularly high in the Middle East. Military
spending as a share of GDP, for those countries in the region for which data
is available, averaged 6.0 per cent in 2016almost triple the global average
of 2.2 per cent. Oman had the highest military burden in the world, at 17 per
cent, followed by Saudi Arabia at 10 per cent.
Saudi Arabias estimated budget of $63.7 billion in 2016 makes it by far the
largest military spender in the region and the fourth largest in the world.
While Saudi Arabia had been increasing its military spending year-on-year
since 2002, its spending in 2016 was a 30 per cent decrease on 2015. By con-
trast, Irans military expenditure decreased by 7.3 per cent between 2007
and 2016, but rose by 17 per cent between 2015 and 2016. The lifting of inter-
national sanctions has beneted the Iranian economy, improving incomes
and giving the government the freedom to increase military spending.
Israel was the 15th largest military spender in the world in 2016. Its
expenditure grew by 19 per cent between 2007 and 2016 to $18 billion. This
gure excludes about $3.5 billion in military aid from the USA. Turkey
increased its military spending by 9.7 per cent between 2007 and 2016. At
$14.8 billion, it is the 18th largest military spender globally. However, the
gure for actual spending in 2016 is uncertain. Since the attempted military
coup in July 2016, detailed data on Turkish military expenditure has become
more difficult to nd.
There are many drivers of military spending, most notably armed conict,
perceptions of security, the price of oil and income. Oil price is an important
factor because of its impact on the national budgets of oil-exporting coun-
tries. In general, patterns of military spending over the past 10 years can be
SIPRI is an independent correlated with the rise and fall of oil prices. The decrease in oil revenues and
international institute
associated economic problems attached to the oil-price shock have forced
dedicated to research into
many oil-exporting countries to cut their total government budgets, which
conict, armaments, arms
usually also includes cutting military spending. In some cases, the decreases
control and disarmament.
Established in 1966, SIPRI
have been so severe that it has affected regional and subregional trends
provides data, analysis and (e.g. in Africa and South America).
recommendations, based on Although the oil-price slump has had varying degrees of impact on the
open sources, to policymakers, economies of oil-exporting countries, since 2015 military expenditure, in
researchers, media and the real US dollars, has decreased for the vast majority of oil-exporting coun-
interested public. tries. This reects the severity of the shock and highlights the need for
sectoral reform to foster the diversication of oil exporters economies. Of
GOVERNING BOARD the 15 countries with the largest decreases since 2015, only two (Guinea and
Sven-Olof Petersson, Chairman Zambia) were not oil exporters (see table 6).
(Sweden) Most countries with undiversied, oil-export dependent economies have
Dr Dewi Fortuna Anwar seen their military spending fall since 2015. This includes countries such as
(Indonesia) Angola, Azerbaijan, Iraq, South Sudan and Venezuela. These countries suffer
Dr Vladimir Baranovsky from poor scal buffers, and many are frequently actively involved in con-
(Russia) ict. A minority of oil-exporting countries are better equipped economically
Espen Barth Eide (Norway) to deal with such a shock (e.g. Kuwait and Norway) and were able to continue
Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi with their existing spending plans and marginally increased their spending
(Algeria)
in 2016.
Ambassador Wolfgang
Ischinger (Germany)
Professor Mary Kaldor About the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database
(UnitedKingdom) The SIPRI Military Expenditure Database provides military expenditure data by
Dr Radha Kumar (India) country for the years 19492016 in local current prices, constant US dollars, as a share
The Director (%) of GDP, per capita and as a share (%) of general government expenditure.
Where possible, SIPRI military expenditure data includes all current and capital
DIRECTOR expenditure on the armed forces, including peacekeeping forces; defence ministries
and other government agencies engaged in defence projects; paramilitary forces,
Dan Smith (United Kingdom)
when judged to be trained and equipped for military operations; and military space
activities.
Such expenditure should include military and civil personnel, including retire-
ment pensions of military personnel and social services for personnel; operations and
maintenance; procurement; military research and development; and military aid (in
the military expenditure of the donor country). Civil defence and current expend-
iture on previous military activitiessuch as veterans benets, demobilization and
weapon destructionare excluded.
The database and further details on the sources and methods used are available at
<https://www.sipri.org/databases/milex>.