Jamaica: Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values)

Key figures

Over five years it is up 233.33% from 3 million in 2019 (27.23% a year on average, compounded). Since 1962 it is up 900% from 1 million in 1962 (3.78% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 32 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2024, Jamaica's arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) did not change 0 on 2023 (from 10 million to 10 million).

Across the 16 yearly changes before that (1963 to 2023), the average change was +625,000 and a typical year strayed about 9.24 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 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 20 million in 2016 and the biggest yearly fall was 16 million in 2019. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains less than 1% of the movement over 8 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 2024, Jamaica had the 13th 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 Jamaica in the 2024 ranking

• Equatorial Guinea — 10th of 23: 12 million
• Suriname — 11th of 23: 12 million
• Botswana — 12th of 23: 11 million
• Congo, Rep. — 14th of 23: 9 million
• Lebanon — 15th of 23: 9 million
• Honduras — 16th of 23: 7 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 31 values

Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in nearby economies

• Argentina — 108 million (2025)
• Bahamas, The — 12 million (2017)
• Bolivia — 0 (2024)
• Brazil — 462 million (2025)
• Chile — 14 million (2025)
• Colombia — 22 million (2025)
• Costa Rica — 8 million (2019)
• Dominican Republic — 13 million (2025)
• Ecuador — 30 million (2025)
• El Salvador — 3 million (2025)

More public sector data for Jamaica

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 286.65 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 45.62 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 1.37% (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 4.1% (2025)
• Intentional homicides (per 100,000 people) — 49.44 (2023)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 49.18 billion (2020)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (% of GDP) — 2.3% (2020)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) — -60.51 billion (2020)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP) — -2.83% (2020)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

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

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

How has it changed since 1962?

It is up 900% from 1 million in 1962 (3.78% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 29 million in 2021 and the lowest 0 in 1964.

How does Jamaica rank?

13th highest of 23 economies with data for 2024.

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

In 2024, Jamaica's arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) did not change 0 on 2023 (from 10 million to 10 million). Across the 16 yearly changes before that (1963 to 2023), the average change was +625,000 and a typical year strayed about 9.24 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 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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