Mapped: The World’s Top Countries for Military Spending
By practically any measure, the world today is more peaceful and less war-torn on a global scale, relative to the past.
For instance, declarations of war between nations and soldier casualties have both dropped drastically since the 20th century. Yet, military spending has not followed this trend.
The Top 10 Military Spenders
According to SIPRI, global military spend reached almost $2 trillion in 2020. The top 10 countries represent roughly 75% of this figure, and have increased their spending by $51 billion since the year prior.
Here’s how the worlds top 10 military spenders compare to each other:
| Rank | Country | Military Spend 2020 ($B) | % Change | Military Spend 2019 ($B) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |  United States | $778.0 | +6.2% | $732.0 |
| #2 |  China | $252.0 | -3.4% | $261.0 |
| #3 |  India | $72.9 | +2.5% | $71.1 |
| #4 |  Russia | $61.7 | -5.2% | $65.1 |
| #5 |  United Kingdom | $59.2 | +21.5% | $48.7 |
| #6 |  Saudi Arabia | $57.5 | -7.1% | $61.9 |
| #7 |  Germany | $52.8 | +7.1% | $61.9 |
| #8 |  France | $52.7 | +5.1% | $50.1 |
| #9 |  Japan | $49.1 | +3.1% | $47.6 |
| #10 |  South Korea | $45.7 | +4.1% | $43.9 |
| Total | $1,481.6 | +3.5% | $1,430.7 |
The U.S. isn’t labeled as a global superpower for nothing. The country is by far the largest military spender, and its $778 billion budget trumps the remainder of the list’s collective $703.6 billion. On its own, the U.S. represents just under 40% of global military spending.
This year, Saudi Arabia has lost out on a top five seat to the UK, after a 7.1% decline in spending compared to a 21.5% increase for (Read more...)
