The independent resource on global security
Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2018
April 2019
Stockholm
SIPRI
World military expenditure is estimated to have been $1822 billion in 2018. It was 2.6 per cent higher in real terms than in 2017 and 5.4 per cent higher than in 2009. Global military spending has been gradually rising following a post-2009 low in 2014. It is now 76 per cent higher than the post-cold war low in 1998.
This Fact Sheet presents regional and selected national military expenditure data for 2018 and trends over the decade 2009–18. The data is from the updated SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, which provides military expenditure data by country for the years 1949–2018.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)/EDITORS
Dr Nan Tian is a Senior Researcher and Programme Director of the SIPRI Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme.
Dr Aude Fleurant was a Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme.
Alexandra Kuimova Alexandra Kuimova is a Researcher with UNIDIR’s Conventional Arms and Ammunition Programme. She was previously a Researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme.
Pieter D. Wezeman is a Senior Researcher in the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme.
Siemon T. Wezeman is a Senior Researcher in the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme.