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Appendix 5A. Military expenditure data, 1999–2008
Contents
Appendix 5A contains tables of military expenditure by region, country and income group, in local currency and constant dollars, and as a share of GDP for the period 1999–2008.
Summary
SIPRI military expenditure figures are based on information available in open sources, primarily supplied by governments. They represent a low estimate; the true level of military spending is certainly higher, due to omitted countries and items of spending. Nonetheless, SIPRI estimates capture the great majority of global military spending and accurately represent overall trends.
Military expenditure, by region, 2008
| Region | Spending, 2008 ($ b.) |
Increase, 1999–2008 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Africa | 20.4 | +40 |
| North Africa | 7.8 | +94 |
| Sub-Saharan | 12.6 | +19 |
| Americas | 603 | +64 |
| Caribbean | .. | |
| Central America | 4.5 | +21 |
| North America | 564 | +66 |
| South America | 34.1 | +50 |
| Asia and Oceania | 206 | +52 |
| Central Asia | .. | .. |
| East Asia | 157 | +56 |
| Oceania | 16.6 | +36 |
| South Asia | 30.9 | +41 |
| Europe | 320 | +14 |
| Eastern | 43.6 | +174 |
| West and Central | 277 | +5 |
| Middle East | 75.6 | +56 |
| World total | 1226 | +45 |
To allow comparison over time, the above spending figures are in US dollars at constant (2005) prices.
The top 10 military spenders, 2008
| Rank | Country | Spending ($ b.) |
World share (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA | 607 | 41.5 |
| 2 | China | [84.9] | [5.8] |
| 3 | France | 65.7 | 4.5 |
| 4 | UK | 65.3 | 4.5 |
| 5 | Russia | [58.6] | [4.0] |
| 6 | Germany | 46.8 | 3.2 |
| 7 | Japan | 46.3 | 3.2 |
| 8 | Italy | 40.6 | 2.8 |
| 9 | Saudi Arabia | 38.2 | 2.6 |
| 10 | India | 30 | 2.1 |
| World total | 1464 |
[ ] = SIPRI estimate. The spending figures are in current US dollars.
The 10 biggest spenders in 2008 are the same as in 2007, although some rankings have changed. In particular, in 2008 China was for the first time the world’s second highest military spender and France narrowly overtook the UK.
SIPRI uses market exchange rates to convert national military expenditure figures into US dollars, as this provides the most easily measurable standard by which international comparisons of military spending can be made. An alternative would be to convert figures using purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates. If GDP-based PPP rates were used in the above table, Russia would move up to third place, India to fourth and Saudi Arabia to sixth, after the UK. While the USA would still be far ahead, its relative dominance would diminish.
This data is obtained from the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database.
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