NATO Controversy: These Countries Aren't Spending Enough

24/7 Wall St. Insights

We used data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
The United States GDP in 2023 was equal to all other NATO members combined.
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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, is a group founded in 1949 and is comprised of 32 countries from Europe and North America. It was founded on the “principle of collective defense, meaning that if one NATO Ally is attacked, then all NATO Allies are attacked.” The group endeavors to protect freedom and promote democracy around the world. They also fight terrorism and support countries like Ukraine in this fight.

In 2014, at the annual NATO Summit held in Wales, members pledged to contribute 2% of GDP (gross domestic product) by 2024. For the first time, 23 of the 32 countries will meet or exceed the target this year. The pledge of defense funds is only a portion of a country’s commitment when it joins. They also provide troops and equipment to become “NATO forces,” give funds to run the organization, and are enlisted to defend one another should any member country come under attack.

The United States GDP in 2023 was equal to all other members combined, and they were only 2nd to Poland in the amount allocated to the collective. The pledge to contribute to NATO has long been a point of contention for the United States since they are among the few countries providing the lion’s share of funds. Notably, former President Donald Trump “encouraged” Russian forces to attack NATO members who did not spend enough. Trump is not the only former president to make note of this situation; former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama have also strongly encouraged other member countries to provide their share of funds.

Using 2022 data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 24/7 Wall St. identified the NATO countries that are not paying their fair share. We ranked all 31 NATO member-states on defense spending as a share of GDP, from the biggest spenders to the smallest. GDP figures are from the World Bank and are noted in 2022 U.S. dollars. All other supplemental data is from SIPRI.

Why Are We Writing About NATO and Defense Spending?

Saint Petersburg. Palace Embankment, transportation of heavy military equipment, preparation for the Victory Parade on May 9. People watch the convoy

The United States is a world superpower, and its commitment to NATO is significant. The US and NATO relationship appears to be an entanglement not easily withdrawn from. The upcoming 2024 presidential election has many in the US holding their breath for the outcome, and around the world, the feeling is mutual. Should Donald Trump be elected, he has made it clear that the country’s relationship with the collective would not remain as-is. The changes have the potential for a sweeping impact worldwide; only time will tell how the situation will be resolved.

31. Greece

Total Defense Spending (2022): $8.1 billion USD
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $217.6 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 3.7%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +44.4%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +69.0%

30. United States

Total Defense Spending (2022): $876.9 billion USD
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $25.4 trillion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 3.5%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +10.2%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +2.7%

29. Lithuania

Total Defense Spending (2022): $1.7 billion USD
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $71.0 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 2.5%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +44.3%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +353.1%

28. Poland

Total Defense Spending (2022): $16.6 billion USD
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $688.1 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 2.4%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +34.4%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +94.7%

27. United Kingdom

Total Defense Spending (2022): $68.5 billion USD
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $3.1 trillion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 2.2%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +15.4%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +9.7%

26. Croatia

Total Defense Spending (2022): $1.3 billion USD
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $71.6 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 2.2%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +36.0%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +49.9%

25. Estonia

Training Of Nato Ally Estonian Defence Forces

Total Defense Spending (2022): $810.9 million USD
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $38.1 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 2.1%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +14.8%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +55.5%

24. Latvia

Total Defense Spending (2022): $848.8 million USD
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $40.9 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 2.0%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +8.4%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +186.2%

23. France

Total Defense Spending (2022): $53.6 billion USD (approximately $1.9 billion short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $2.8 trillion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.9%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +7.2%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +15.0%

22. Slovakia

Slovakia’s total defense spending for 2022 was $2.0 billion USD (approx. $315.1 million short of the 2% threshold), with a gross domestic product of $115.5 billion. The country’s defense spending as a share of GDP is 1.8%. The 5-year change in defense spending was +42.9%, and the 10-year is +109.2%.

Total Defense Spending (2022): $2.0 billion USD (approximately $315.1 million short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $115.5 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.8%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +42.9%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +109.2%

21. Romania

Romanian Defence Forces Join In Combative Training On Black Sea

Total Defense Spending (2022): $5.2 billion USD (approximately $827.1 million short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $300.7 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.7%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +11.5%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +123.8%

20. Finland

Total Defense Spending (2022): $4.8 billion USD (approximately $835.0 million short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $282.9 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.7%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +30.7%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +28.7%

19. Italy

Total Defense Spending (2022): $33.5 billion USD (approximately $7.5 billion short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $2.1 trillion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.7%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +18.8%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +23.6%

18. Norway

Total Defense Spending (2022): $8.4 billion USD (approximately $3.2 billion short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $579.4 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.6%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +17.2%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +46.5%

17. Montenegro

Total Defense Spending (2022): $98.0 million USD (approximately $26.6 million short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $6.2 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.6%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +26.3%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +56.3%

16. North Macedonia

Total Defense Spending (2022): $225.0 million USD (approximately $46.3 million short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $13.6 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.7%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +18.8%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +23.6%

15. Albania

Total Defense Spending (2022): $8.4 billion USD (approximately $3.2 billion short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $579.4 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.6%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +81.6%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +89.1%

14. Netherlands

Total Defense Spending (2022): $288.7 million USD (approximately $89.6 million short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $18.9 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.6%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +53.8%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +40.7%

13. Hungary

Total Defense Spending (2022): $2.6 billion USD (approximately $974.5 million short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $177.3 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.5%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +71.7%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +148.4%

12. Bulgaria

Total Defense Spending (2022): $1.3 billion USD (approximately $471.0 million short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $90.4 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.5%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +28.1%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +66.5%

11. Spain

Total Defense Spending (2022): $20.3 billion USD (approximately $8.1 billion short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $1.4 trillion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.5%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +13.5%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +28.4%

10. Denmark

Princess Mary Visits Danish Troops In Afghanistan

Total Defense Spending (2022): $5.5 billion USD (approximately $2.5 billion short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $400.2 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.4%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +21.6%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +43.2%

9. Germany

Total Defense Spending (2022): $55.8 billion USD (approximately $25.9 billion short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $4.1 trillion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.4%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +18.0%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +32.5%

8. Czechia

Total Defense Spending (2022): $4.0 billion USD (approximately $1.8 billion short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $290.5 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.4%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +23.9%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +63.6%

7. Portugal

Total Defense Spending (2022): $3.5 billion USD (approximately $1.6 billion short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $255.2 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.4%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +10.4%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +19.7%

6. Canada

Canadian Military Personnel Begin To Mobilize In Effort Of Aiding Spread Of Coronavirus

Total Defense Spending (2022): $26.9 billion USD (approximately $15.9 billion short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $2.1 trillion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.2%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +4.7%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +48.9%

5. Turkey

Total Defense Spending (2022): $10.6 billion USD (approximately $7.5 billion short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $907.1 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.2%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +30.6%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +14.9%

4. Slovenia

Total Defense Spending (2022): $735.2 million USD (approximately $466.1 million short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $60.1 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.2%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +38.2%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +58.0%

3. Belgium

BEL: Prince Amedeo Of Belgium Testifies To Become Officer In The Army

Total Defense Spending (2022): $6.9 billion USD (approximately $4.8 billion short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $583.4 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.2%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +38.8%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +33.9%

2. Luxembourg

Total Defense Spending (2022): $564.6 million USD (approximately $1.1 billion short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $81.6 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 0.7%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +56.5%
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +155.5%

1. Iceland

Total Defense Spending (2022): $0 (approximately $561.3 million short of 2% threshold)
Gross Domestic Product (2022): $28.1 billion USD
Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 0.0%
5-Year Change in Defense Spending: N/A
10-Year Change in Defense Spending: N/A