In this article, we discuss the 5 countries with the highest military Spending in the world. If you want to read our detailed analysis of the military spending and trends, go directly to the 25 Countries with the Highest Military Spending in the World.
5. United Kingdom
Military Spending: $59.2 billion
The United Kingdom spent $59.2 billion on military spending in 2020, the largest in Western Europe. The United Kingdom spent 2.2% of its GDP on the military in 2020. The country has decreased its military spending by 4.2% from 2011 to 2020. From 2019 to 2020, military spending has been increased by 2.9%, upgrading its position from 6th to 5th largest country in the world concerning military spending.
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4. Russia
Military Spending: $61.7 billion
Russia spent 3.4% of its GDP on military activities in 2020. With an amount of $61.7 billion on the military, Russia ranks 4th on the list of countries with the highest military budget in the world. The country has increased its military budget by 2.5% from 2019 to 2020. From 2011 to 2020, the budget has increased by 26%.
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3. India
Military Spending: $72.9 billion
India, an emerging power in South Asia, has military spending of $72.9 billion, making it 3rd on the list of countries with the highest military budget in the world. India has spent 2.9% of its GDP on the military. From 2011 to 2020, military spending has increased by 34%. India contributes 3.7% to the total military spending worldwide.
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2. China
Military Spending: $252 billion
China is the 2nd country with the highest military spending in the world. With military spending of $252 billion, the country spends about 2.5 times more than India. China contributed 13% to global military spending. China has increased its military budget by 76% from 2011 to 2020. This rise is consistent with the last 26 years. From 2019 to 2020, the budget has been increased by 1.9%.
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1. United States
Military Spending: $778 billion
The United States ranks 1st on the list of countries with the highest military budget in the world. With spending of $778 billion on military operations, the US outlies other countries in terms of military spending. The US spends 3 times more on the military than China and 10.6 times more than India. The US contributed 39% to global military spending in 2020. The military budget decreased by 10% from 2011 to 2020. However, the US has increased its military budget from 2019 to 2020 by 4.4%. The US has consistently increased its military budget from 2018 to 2020. This increase can be attributed to an increase in research & development, modernizing the US nuclear arsenals, and large-scale arms procurement.
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