Spain's military expenditure (current LCU) was 35.65 billion in 2025, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 160.31% from 13.69 billion in 2015 (10.04% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 35.65 billion | 2025 |
| Five years earlier | 15.31 billion | 2020 |
| Ten years earlier | 13.69 billion | 2015 |
| Highest | 35.65 billion | 2025 |
| Lowest | 83.96 million | 1960 |
| Average since 2016 | 19.12 billion | 2016–2025 |
| First recorded | 83.96 million |
What the numbers say
In 2025, Spain's military expenditure (current LCU) rose 53.1% on 2024 (from 23.28 billion to 35.65 billion).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +3.8% and a typical year strayed about 6.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 7.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 53.1% in 2025 and the biggest yearly fall was 11.5% in 2013. 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 the straight-line trend is upward, about 1.96 billion a year. A straight line explains 76% of the movement over 10 observed 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, Spain had the 83rd 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 Spain in the 2025 ranking
- Romania — 80th of 150: 43.45 billion
- Central African Republic — 81st of 150: 43.14 billion
- Italy — 82nd of 150: 42.68 billion
- Mozambique — 84th of 150: 29.88 billion
- Netherlands — 85th of 150: 25.66 billion
- Singapore — 86th of 150: 22.79 billion
What this measures
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar 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.
All 66 values
| Year | Military expenditure (current LCU) |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 35,647,720,000 |
| 2024 | 23,282,130,000 |
| 2023 | 22,989,520,000 |
| 2022 | 19,702,170,000 |
| 2021 | 16,886,890,000 |
| 2020 | 15,309,180,000 |
| 2019 | 15,353,500,000 |
| 2018 | 15,100,410,000 |
| 2017 | 14,298,990,000 |
| 2016 | 12,672,470,000 |
Military expenditure (current LCU) in nearby economies
- Albania — 54.11 billion (2025)
- Armenia — 667.88 billion (2025)
- Austria — 5.63 billion (2025)
- Azerbaijan — 8.4 billion (2025)
- Belarus — 6.35 billion (2025)
- Belgium — 12.88 billion (2025)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina — 401.19 million (2025)
- Bulgaria — 4.49 billion (2025)
- Croatia — 1.86 billion (2025)
- Cyprus — 588 million (2025)
- Czechia
More public sector data for Spain
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 237 million (2025)
- Military expenditure (current USD) — 40.21 billion (2025)
- Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 2.13% (2025)
- Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 341 million (2025)
- Net incurrence of liabilities, total (current LCU) — 65.74 billion (2024)
- Net incurrence of liabilities, total (% of GDP) — 4.12% (2024)
- Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 11.47 billion (2024)
- Net investment in nonfinancial assets (% of GDP) — 0.72% (2024)
- Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) — -50.45 billion (2024)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Spain's military expenditure (current LCU)?
- 35.65 billion in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1960?
- It is up 42,356% from 83.96 million in 1960 (9.76% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 35.65 billion in 2025 and the lowest 83.96 million in 1960.
- How does Spain rank?
- 83rd highest of 150 economies with data for 2025.
- Is the latest change in military expenditure (current LCU) unusual for Spain?
- In 2025, Spain's military expenditure (current LCU) rose 53.1% on 2024 (from 23.28 billion to 35.65 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +3.8% and a typical year strayed about 6.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 7.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator MS.MIL.XPND.CN, 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.
Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.
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