How much countries spend on their militaries has a direct correlation with their standing in the world, and it can ultimately tip geopolitical relations in their favor if they have the military might to back it up. The United States, China and Russia rank as some of the countries that spend the most on their respective militaries, making them some of the strongest in the world. (This country spent a third of its economy on its military last year.)
To identify which countries spent the most on their military, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on U.S. military spending from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Military Expenditure Database, for the 2022 fiscal year. Figures are in current U.S. dollars. We included supplementary data on military expenditure as a percent of GDP, a percent of government spending, region, and 2023 population data from World Population Review.
It has been widely observed that the United States spends the most of any country in the world on its military. In fact, it spends more than the next ten nations combined on their respective militaries. Much of this spending goes to keeping U.S. forces outfitted with the most technologically advanced gear, aircraft and vehicles. (This is what the U.S. has spent on the military every year since 1970.)
China spends the second most of any nation, and much of this has recently gone to upgrading its naval forces. New aircraft carriers and other support ships are constantly being manufactured to bolster China’s hold within the Pacific and South China Sea.
Russia ranks as the third highest spender, with much of these funds currently dedicated to its ongoing conflict within Ukraine. Although there was a slow start to the conflict and it initially looked like neither side was budging, Russia has proven successful in recent months in maintaining a hold on territories that it is claiming as its own. Much of this can be attributed to its targeted spending on its military.
Here is a look at the countries with the most military expenditures:
30. Kuwait
- Military expenditure (2022): $8,244.1 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 4.53%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 11.58%
- Population (2023): 4,310,108
- Region: Middle East
29. Norway
- Military expenditure (2022): $8,388.4 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.64%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 3.78%
- Population (2023): 5,474,360
- Region: Western Europe
28. Mexico
- Military expenditure (2022): $8,535.5 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.61%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 2.22%
- Population (2023): 128,455,567
- Region: North America
27. Indonesia
- Military expenditure (2022): $8,986.6 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.70%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 4.11%
- Population (2023): 277,534,122
- Region: South East Asia
26. Algeria
- Military expenditure (2022): $9,145.8 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 4.78%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 13.30%
- Population (2023): 45,606,480
- Region: North America
25. Colombia
- Military expenditure (2022): $9,937.7 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 3.08%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 9.18%
- Population (2023): 52,085,168
- Region: South America
24. Pakistan
- Military expenditure (2022): $10,337.5 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 2.63%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 17.89%
- Population (2023): 240,485,658
- Region: South Asia
23. Turkey
- Military expenditure (2022): $10,644.6 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.23%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 4.40%
- Population (2023): 85,816,199
- Region: Middle East
22. Singapore
- Military expenditure (2022): $11,687.6 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 2.77%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 16.91%
- Population (2023): 6,014,723
- Region: South East Asia
21. Taiwan
- Military expenditure (2022): $12,508.6 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.61%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 9.37%
- Population (2023): 23,923,276
- Region: East Asia
20. Qatar
- Military expenditure (2022): $15,412.1 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 6.96%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 23.84%
- Population (2023): 2,716,391
- Region: Middle East
19. Netherlands
- Military expenditure (2022): $15,606.6 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.58%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 3.67%
- Population (2023): 17,618,299
- Region: Western Europe
18. Poland
- Military expenditure (2022): $16,573.1 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 2.39%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 5.84%
- Population (2023): 41,026,067
- Region: Central Europe
17. Brazil
- Military expenditure (2022): $20,210.8 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.05%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 2.87%
- Population (2023): 216,422,446
- Region: South America
16. Spain
- Military expenditure (2022): $20,306.6 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.47%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 3.14%
- Population (2023): 47,519,628
- Region: Western Europe
15. Israel
- Military expenditure (2022): $23,406.1 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 4.51%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 12.17%
- Population (2023): 9,174,520
- Region: Middle East
14. Canada
- Military expenditure (2022): $26,896.3 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.24%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 2.88%
- Population (2023): 38,781,291
- Region: North America
13. Australia
- Military expenditure (2022): $32,298.9 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.90%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 5.02%
- Population (2023): 26,439,111
- Region: Oceania
12. Italy
- Military expenditure (2022): $33,489.7 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.68%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 3.17%
- Population (2023): 58,870,762
- Region: Western Europe
11. Ukraine
- Military expenditure (2022): $43,997.7 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 33.55%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): N/A
- Population (2023): 36,744,634
- Region: Eastern Europe
10. Japan
- Military expenditure (2022): $45,992.1 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.08%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 2.53%
- Population (2023): 123,294,513
- Region: Japan
9. South Korea
- Military expenditure (2022): $46,365.4 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 2.72%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 10.57%
- Population (2023): 51,784,059
- Region: East Asia
8. France
- Military expenditure (2022): $53,638.7 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.94%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 3.43%
- Population (2023): 64,756,584
- Region: Western Europe
7. Germany
- Military expenditure (2022): $55,759.7 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.39%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 2.75%
- Population (2023): 83,294,633
- Region: Western Europe
6. United Kingdom
- Military expenditure (2022): $68,462.6 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 2.23%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 5.29%
- Population (2023): 67,736,802
- Region: Western Europe
5. Saudi Arabia
- Military expenditure (2022): $75,013.3 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 7.42%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 27.79%
- Population (2023): 36,947,025
- Region: Middle East
4. India
- Military expenditure (2022): $81,363.2 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 2.43%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 8.26%
- Population (2023): 1,428,627,663
- Region: South Asia
3. Russia
- Military expenditure (2022): $86,373.1 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 4.06%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 10.35%
- Population (2023): 144,444,359
- Region: Eastern Europe
2. China
- Military expenditure (2022): $291,958.4 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.60%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 4.79%
- Population (2023): 1,425,671,352
- Region: East Asia
1. United States of America
- Military expenditure (2022): $876,943.2 million
- Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 3.45%
- Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): N/A
- Population (2023): 339,996,563
- Region: North America
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