Cyprus: Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values)

Key figures

Over five years it is down 9.68% from 31 million in 2020 (2.02% a year on average, compounded). Since 1964 it is up 55.56% from 18 million in 1964 (0.73% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 23 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2025, Cyprus' arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) fell 76.7% on 2024 (from 120 million to 28 million).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1983 to 2024), the average change was +276.2% and a typical year strayed about 867.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 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 4,400% in 2001 and the biggest yearly fall was 96.5% in 2000. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those 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, Cyprus had the 68th highest value of the 105 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 Cyprus in the 2025 ranking

• South Africa — 65th of 105: 30 million
• Austria — 66th of 105: 29 million
• Lithuania — 67th of 105: 29 million
• Paraguay — 69th of 105: 24 million
• Albania — 70th of 105: 23 million
• Colombia — 71st of 105: 22 million

What this measures

Arms transfers (imports) cover the volume of transfers of major arms through sales and gifts, and those made through manufacturing licenses. Data cover major conventional weapons such as aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery, radar systems, missiles, and ships. Figures are SIPRI Trend Indicator Values (TIVs). A '0' indicates that the volume of deliveries is between 0 and 0.5 million SIPRI TIV.

Limitations: SIPRI calculates the volume of transfers to, from and between all parties using the TIV and the number of weapon systems or subsystems delivered in a given year. This data is intended to provide a common unit to allow the measurement if trends in the flow of arms to particular countries and regions over time. Therefore, the main priority is to ensure that the TIV system remains consistent over time, and that any changes introduced are backdated. SIPRI TIV figures do not represent sales prices for arms transfers.

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

All 39 values

Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in nearby economies

• Albania — 23 million (2025)
• Armenia — 21 million (2025)
• Austria — 29 million (2025)
• Azerbaijan — 463 million (2025)
• Belarus — 466 million (2025)
• Belgium — 430 million (2025)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 1 million (2025)
• Bulgaria — 540 million (2025)
• Croatia — 141 million (2025)
• Czechia — 19 million (2025)

More public sector data for Cyprus

• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 832 million (2024)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) — 1.45 billion (2024)
• Social contributions (current LCU) — 4.52 billion (2024)
• Social contributions (% of revenue) — 31.75% (2024)
• Revenue, excluding grants (current LCU) — 13.87 billion (2024)
• Taxes on goods and services (current LCU) — 4.14 billion (2024)
• Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue) — 29.06% (2024)
• Other taxes (current LCU) — 472.6 million (2024)
• Other taxes (% of revenue) — 3.32% (2024)
• Tax revenue (current LCU)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Cyprus's arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values)?

28 million in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1964?

It is up 55.56% from 18 million in 1964 (0.73% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 180 million in 2001 and the lowest 4 million in 2000.

How does Cyprus rank?

68th highest of 105 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) unusual for Cyprus?

In 2025, Cyprus' arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) fell 76.7% on 2024 (from 120 million to 28 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1983 to 2024), the average change was +276.2% and a typical year strayed about 867.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 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.MPRT.KD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), uri: https://armstransfers.sipri.org/ArmsTransfer/ 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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