Guinea-Bissau: Military expenditure (current USD)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Guinea-Bissau's military expenditure (current USD) fell 3.7% on 2024 (from 23.22 million to 22.36 million).

Across the 27 yearly changes before that (1983 to 2024), the average change was +5.8% and a typical year strayed about 38.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 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 111.1% in 2019 and the biggest yearly fall was 64.2% in 1984. 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 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 23% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

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

How it compares

In 2025, Guinea-Bissau had the 146th 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 Guinea-Bissau in the 2025 ranking

• Sierra Leone — 142nd of 150: 32.18 million
• Seychelles — 143rd of 150: 28.38 million
• Mauritius — 144th of 150: 23.84 million
• Cabo Verde — 146th of 150: 20.08 million
• Gambia, The — 147th of 150: 14.74 million
• Costa Rica — 148th of 150: 0

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 34 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, Dem. Rep. — 1.23 billion (2025)
• Congo, Rep.

More public sector data for Guinea-Bissau

• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 13 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 0.89% (2025)
• Armed forces personnel, total — 4,000 (2020)
• Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 0.53% (2020)
• Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 4.66% (2025)
• CPIA business regulatory environment rating (1=low to 6=high) — 2.5 (2025)
• CPIA debt policy rating (1=low to 6=high) — 2.5 (2025)
• CPIA economic management cluster average (1=low to 6=high) — 3 (2025)
• CPIA policy and institutions for environmental sustainability rating (1=low to 6=high)

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 Guinea-Bissau's military expenditure (current USD)?

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

How has it changed since 1982?

It is up 137.68% from 9.41 million in 1982 (2.03% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 25.6 million in 2021 and the lowest 1.82 million in 1997.

How does Guinea-Bissau rank?

146th highest of 150 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in military expenditure (current USD) unusual for Guinea-Bissau?

In 2025, Guinea-Bissau's military expenditure (current USD) fell 3.7% on 2024 (from 23.22 million to 22.36 million). Across the 27 yearly changes before that (1983 to 2024), the average change was +5.8% and a typical year strayed about 38.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 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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