SIPRI Military Expenditure Database
SIPRI’s open-access database providing annual military expenditure data for countries worldwide from 1949 to 2025, across multiple metrics.
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OVERVIEW
The SIPRI Military Expenditure Database is an open-access resource maintained by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) that provides consistent time series data on the military spending of countries for the period 1949–2025. The database is updated annually and is based exclusively on open sources. It is one of the most widely cited datasets for tracking global defence expenditure over time.
Organisation behind the tool
The database is developed and maintained by SIPRI, an independent non-profit organisation based in Stockholm, Sweden, that conducts research on conflict, armaments, arms control, and disarmament.
What the tool does
The database presents military expenditure data across multiple formats and metrics, including: local currency at current prices (by financial year and calendar year); constant (2024) and current US dollars; expenditure as a share of gross domestic product (GDP); per capita figures; and expenditure as a share of government expenditure. Data is available for a majority of countries from at least the late 1950s, with regional aggregates extended backwards depending on data availability. Global totals are available from 1988 onwards. Users can download the full dataset in Excel format.
Target audience
The database is designed for researchers, policymakers, journalists, and analysts working in the fields of security, defence, economics, and international relations. It is also used by finance professionals assessing geopolitical risk, defence sector trends, and sovereign fiscal priorities.
Relevance to finance professionals
Finance professionals may draw on the database in several areas: risk assessment related to geopolitical instability and sovereign fiscal capacity; ESG analysis involving defence exposure and weapons-related screening; investment context for understanding long-term shifts in government spending priorities; and market insights into defence industry trends across regions. The database’s longitudinal coverage and cross-country comparability make it a useful reference for sovereign risk and sector-level analysis.
