Gabon: Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values)

Key figures

Over five years it is down 76.92% from 26 million in 2019 (25.42% a year on average, compounded). Since 1961 it is up 100% from 3 million in 1961 (1.11% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 27 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2024, Gabon's arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) fell 10 million on 2023 (from 16 million to 6 million).

Across the 23 yearly changes before that (1965 to 2023), the average change was +2.3 million and a typical year strayed about 32.26 million 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 89 million in 1984 and the biggest yearly fall was 97 million in 1985. 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 2024, Gabon had the 19th highest value of the 23 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 Gabon in the 2024 ranking

• Honduras — 16th of 23: 7 million
• Lao PDR — 17th of 23: 7 million
• Malaysia — 18th of 23: 7 million
• Libya — 20th of 23: 5 million
• Malawi — 21st of 23: 2 million
• Zambia — 22nd of 23: 1 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 37 values

Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in nearby economies

• Angola — 84 million (2025)
• Benin — 4 million (2025)
• Botswana — 11 million (2024)
• Burkina Faso — 34 million (2025)
• Burundi — 2 million (2019)
• Cameroon — 2 million (2023)
• Central African Republic — 43 million (2023)
• Chad — 4 million (2025)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 44 million (2025)
• Congo, Rep. — 9 million (2024)

More public sector data for Gabon

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 356.11 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 207.07 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 1.66% (2025)
• Armed forces personnel, total — 7,000 (2020)
• Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 1% (2020)
• Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 6.45% (2025)
• Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 1 data use score (scale 0-100) — 60 (2024)
• Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 3 data products score (scale 0-100) — 62.39 (2024)
• Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget (%)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

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

6 million in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1961?

It is up 100% from 3 million in 1961 (1.11% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 100 million in 1984 and the lowest 0 in 1965.

How does Gabon rank?

19th highest of 23 economies with data for 2024.

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

In 2024, Gabon's arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) fell 10 million on 2023 (from 16 million to 6 million). Across the 23 yearly changes before that (1965 to 2023), the average change was +2.3 million and a typical year strayed about 32.26 million 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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