Congo, Dem. Rep.: Military expenditure (current USD)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Congo, Dem. Rep.'s military expenditure (current USD) rose 36.3% on 2024 (from 899.19 million to 1.23 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1989 to 2024), the average change was +38.8% and a typical year strayed about 120% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 659.6% in 1988 and the biggest yearly fall was 68.6% in 1989. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is upward, about 85.98 million a year. A straight line explains 64% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Congo, Dem. Rep. had the 77th highest value of the 150 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Congo, Dem. Rep. in the 2025 ranking

• Sri Lanka — 74th of 150: 1.39 billion
• Kazakhstan — 75th of 150: 1.31 billion
• Uganda — 76th of 150: 1.3 billion
• Slovenia — 78th of 150: 1.22 billion
• Dominican Republic — 79th of 150: 1.04 billion
• Tanzania — 80th of 150: 1.03 billion

What this measures

Military spending USD, in current prices (converted at the exchange rate for the given year)

Limitations: SIPRI strives to compile reliable, consistent military expenditure data by assessing multiple sources, but accuracy depends on the quality and transparency of those sources. Challenges arise from two key issues: whether reported figures reflect actual spending and how closely they match SIPRI’s definition. While data is generally accurate in developed and many developing countries, weak governance, corruption, and secret transfers in others can lead to major discrepancies. SIPRI sometimes makes estimates, when sources conflict or lack coverage, introducing uncertainty, especially for countries like China or the UAE.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 59 values

Military expenditure (current USD) in nearby economies

• Angola — 1.46 billion (2025)
• Benin — 216.91 million (2025)
• Botswana — 614.35 million (2025)
• Burkina Faso — 891.56 million (2025)
• Burundi — 226.62 million (2025)
• Cabo Verde — 20.08 million (2025)
• Cameroon — 627.47 million (2025)
• Central African Republic — 74.19 million (2025)
• Chad — 648.81 million (2025)
• Congo, Rep. — 204.92 million (2025)
• Côte d'Ivoire

More public sector data for Congo, Dem. Rep.

• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 3.32 trillion (2025)
• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 44 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 1.38% (2025)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 8.54 trillion (2022)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (% of GDP) — 6.04% (2022)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) — -2.92 trillion (2022)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP) — -2.07% (2022)
• Grants and other revenue (current LCU) — 8.14 trillion (2022)
• Grants and other revenue (% of revenue) — 35.08% (2022)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Congo, Dem. Rep.'s military expenditure (current USD)?

1.23 billion in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1963?

It is up 2,005% from 58.22 million in 1963 (5.04% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 1.23 billion in 2025 and the lowest 26.63 million in 1998.

How does Congo, Dem. Rep. rank?

77th highest of 150 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in military expenditure (current USD) unusual for Congo, Dem. Rep.?

In 2025, Congo, Dem. Rep.'s military expenditure (current USD) rose 36.3% on 2024 (from 899.19 million to 1.23 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1989 to 2024), the average change was +38.8% and a typical year strayed about 120% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator MS.MIL.XPND.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), uri: https://www.sipri.org/databases Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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