IDA total: Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure)

Key figures

Over five years it is down 0.41 percentage points from 8.53% in 2020. Since 1994 it is down 9.82 percentage points from 17.94% in 1994. The World Bank has no value for 11 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2025, IDA total's military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) rose 0.13 percentage points on 2024 (from 7.99% to 8.12%).

Across the 16 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was −0.35 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.98 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations above 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 1.23 percentage points in 1998 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.5 percentage points in 1995. 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

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

What this measures

Military expenditure expressed as a percentage of general government expenditure

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 21 values

Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 4.97% (2020)
• Algeria — 24.57% (2025)
• Bahrain — 10.8% (2025)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 2.45% (2025)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 11.16% (2025)
• Iraq — 5.53% (2025)
• Israel — 17.83% (2025)
• Jordan — 13.53% (2025)
• Kuwait — 10.09% (2025)

More public sector data for IDA total

• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 1.38% (2025)
• Military expenditure (current USD) — 37.69 billion (2025)
• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 1.43 billion (2025)
• Armed forces personnel, total — 4.52 million (2020)
• Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 0.67% (2020)
• CPIA business regulatory environment rating (1=low to 6=high) — 2.96 (2025)
• CPIA debt policy rating (1=low to 6=high) — 3.12 (2025)
• CPIA economic management cluster average (1=low to 6=high) — 3.17 (2025)
• CPIA policy and institutions for environmental sustainability rating (1=low to 6=high)

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Questions people ask

What is IDA total's military expenditure (% of general government expenditure)?

8.12% in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1994?

It is down 9.82 percentage points from 17.94% in 1994. The highest value was 17.94% in 1994 and the lowest 7.99% in 2024.

Is the latest change in military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) unusual for IDA total?

In 2025, IDA total's military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) rose 0.13 percentage points on 2024 (from 7.99% to 8.12%). Across the 16 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was −0.35 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.98 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations above 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.ZS, 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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