Military expenditure (% of GDP) in United States was reported at 3.3618 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Military expenditure (% of GDP) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

The United States led the ranking of the countries with the highest military spending in 2023, with 916 billion U.S. dollars dedicated to the military. That constituted over 40 percent of the total military spending worldwide that year, which amounted to 2.4 trillion U.S. dollars. This amounted to 3.5 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP), placing the U.S. lower in the ranking of military expenditure as a percentage of GDP than for instance Saudi Arabia, Israel, Algeria, and Russia. China was the second largest military spender with an estimated 296 billion U.S. dollars spent, with Russia following in third. Defense budgetAccording to the U.S. Congressional Budget Office, the outlays for defense will rise to 1.1 trillion U.S. dollars by 2033. The largest parts of the budget are dedicated to the Departments of the Navy and the Air Force. The budget for the U.S. Air Force for 2024 was nearly 260 billion U.S. dollars.Global military spendingThe value of military spending globally has grown steadily in the past years and reached 2.44 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023. Reasons for this are the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, the war in Gaza, as well as increasing tensions in the South China Sea. North America is by far the leading region worldwide in terms of expenditure on the military.

As a share of gross domestic product (GDP), Ukraine spent more on its military than any other country in 2023, reaching 37 percent of the country's GDP. The high figure is due to the country being invaded by Russia in February 2022. Algeria and Saudi Arabia followed behind.Leading military spending countriesIn gross terms, the countries with the highest military spending are the United States, China, and Russia. However, these are countries with large populations and GDPs, and smaller countries usually cannot compete alone, regardless of how much they invest. For this reason, they form alliances such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). NATO countries aim to pool two percent of their GDP towards their own militaries and to aid each other in case of war. Regional differencesThe past decade has seen an increase in global military spending. This has not been distributed evenly. That period saw large positive changes in military spending from several Asian countries, including a large increase from China. While this does not reflect the number of active conflicts, it reflects growing tensions in global affairs.

The average for 2022 based on 145 countries was 1.98 percent. The highest value was in Ukraine: 33.55 percent and the lowest value was in Haiti: 0.07 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The statistic represents the U.S. defense outlays from 2000 to 2023 with an additional forecast from 2024 to 2034, as a percentage of the gross domestic product. Defense outlays amounted to 746 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, which was about three percent of the U.S. GDP. The forecast predicts an increase in defense outlays up to 1.1 trillion U.S. dollars by 2033, which would be about 2.8 percent of U.S. GDP.

Graph and download economic data for Shares of gross domestic product: Government consumption expenditures and gross investment: Federal: National defense (A824RE1Q156NBEA) from Q1 1947 to Q2 2025 about Shares of GDP, defense, investment, gross, federal, consumption expenditures, consumption, government, GDP, and USA.

In 2023, the ratio of military expenditure to gross domestic product (GDP) in the United States was 3.36 percent. Between 1960 and 2023, the figure dropped by 5.63 percentage points, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Government: National Defense Consumption Expenditures and Gross Investment (FDEFX) from Q1 1947 to Q2 2025 about defense, investment, gross, federal, consumption expenditures, consumption, government, GDP, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Shares of gross domestic product: Government consumption expenditures and gross investment: Federal: National defense (A824RE1A156NBEA) from 1929 to 2024 about Shares of GDP, defense, investment, gross, federal, consumption expenditures, consumption, government, GDP, and USA.

The average for 2022 based on 17 countries was 1.16 percent. The highest value was in Colombia: 3.08 percent and the lowest value was in Haiti: 0.07 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2023, the military expenditure of Colombia accounted for approximately 2.87 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), the highest share in Latin America and the Caribbean. Ecuador is also one of the countries in the region with the highest military budget in relation to its GDP, having spent an estimated sum comparable to 2.3 percent of its GDP on military expenditures.

The average for 2022 based on 11 countries was 1.37 percent. The highest value was in Colombia: 3.08 percent and the lowest value was in Argentina: 0.41 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2022, the U.S. government spent more on healthcare than any other country, at 16.6 percent of GDP. In the same year, U.S. military expenditure was 3.45 percent of GDP. This statistic shows the healthcare and military expenditure as a percentage of GDP in select countries in 2022.

The Second World War was fought on such a large scale that it became total war in many countries - this is where the war effort is prioritized above all else, and the entire population and economy are mobilized to support all military endeavors. Germany and Japan were committing over 70 percent of their national income to the war effort in its final years.

There were also notable fluctuations that coincided with major events for corresponding powers. These included the UK's mobilization of its defenses in 1940, after Germany took most of Western Europe; the spike in Soviet military spending after Operation Barbarossa in June, 1941; and the U.S. entry into the war following the Pearl Harbor attacks in December, 1941.

The United States is, by far, the country that has the highest military spending of NATO countries, accounting for over ***** billion U.S. dollars of the combined NATO military defence spending of **** trillion dollars. By contrast, the other ** member states of NATO combined spent approximately ***** billion dollars on defence, highlighting the key position the U.S. holds in the alliance. The NATO alliance was formed in the aftermath of World War Two, with the aim of deterring Soviet Expansion into Western Europe. NATO at 75 In 2024, having lasted for 75 years, NATO is arguably the world's most successful military alliance. Since its founding in 1949, the alliance has expanded from 12 countries to 32, with the two most recent additions (Finland and Sweden) a direct consequence of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Although to some extent, the invasion has given NATO a clear sense of purpose, it has also exposed divisions within the alliance. The most serious of these as far as NATO is concerned is the potential re-election of Donald Trump as U.S. President. A frequent critic of NATO, particularly to member states who spend a lower share of their GDP on defence, Trump's actions if re-elected will be crucial in determining the future of the alliance. NATO after the Cold War After the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the concentration of NATO’s military resources were focused elsewhere. Interventions in Bosnia and Kosovo, followed by the War in Afghanistan, saw a large rise in the defense spending of some NATO countries. In particular, defense spending by the United States rose dramatically between 2001 and 2011, rising from *** billion U.S. dollars to *** billion U.S. dollars. While the mid-2010s saw a noticeable decline in defence spending as a share of GDP, among member states, this trend was revered following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Military Expenditure in Russia increased to 148967.30 USD Million in 2024 from 109203.60 USD Million in 2023. Russia Military Expenditure - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on August of 2025.

Israel's military expenditure as a share of GDP reached 8.8 percent in 2024, marking a significant increase from previous years. The surge in defense spending reflects the country's response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, which began in Gaza in October 2023, and expanded to hostilities in Lebanon, Yemen and Iran by 2025. The financial impact of the war was also apparent in the county's national debt figures, which rapidly increased by 20 percent between the third quarter of 2023 and the third quarter of 2024. Escalating defense budget amid conflict Israel's military allocation for 2025 has seen a significant increase, nearly doubling compared to 2022. Still, actual defense spending during the year is expected to exceed the approved 109.8 billion Israeli shekels, approximately 31.6 billion U.S. dollars, reflecting the nation's intensified emphasis on military preparedness amidst escalating geopolitical tensions. The bulk of this budget is earmarked for procurement and purchases, totaling around 55 billion Israeli shekels, equivalent to 15.7 billion U.S. dollars. Record-breaking arms exports As Israel ramped up its military spending, the country's defense industries have also reached new heights. In 2024, the value of arms exported from Israel reach 14.8 billion U.S. dollars, marking the third consecutive annual record. Air defense systems were the most popular product category that year, accounting for nearly half of all defense exports. The industry’s robust performance highlights the growing global demand for arms, and Israeli military hardware in particular.

Graph and download economic data for Contributions to percent change in real gross domestic product: Government consumption expenditures: Federal: National defense (A997RY2Q224SBEA) from Q2 1947 to Q1 2025 about defense, contributions, federal, consumption expenditures, consumption, percent, government, real, GDP, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Contributions to percent change in real gross domestic product: Government consumption expenditures: Federal: National defense (A997RY2A224NBEA) from 1930 to 2024 about defense, contributions, federal, consumption expenditures, consumption, percent, government, real, GDP, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Contributions to Percent Change in National Defense Consumption Expenditures and Gross Investment: Consumption expenditures: Gross output of general government (W085RN2A224NBEA) from 1973 to 2024 about defense, contributions, output, investment, gross, consumption expenditures, consumption, percent, government, GDP, and USA.