Global military spending grows

Global military spending rose in 2015 to nearly $1.7 trillion, the first increase
since 2011, driven by Middle East conflicts including the battle against Islamic State, the Saudi-led war in Yemen and fears about Iran

MILITARY EXPENDITURE ($ billion)
Chinese expansion in South China Sea and Russia’s annexation of Crimea and support of Ukrainian separatists also contributed to increase

2015: $1,680bn (1.68tn) – up 1% from 2014

500 1,000 1,500 2,000

1998 2000 2005 2010 2015

TOP SPENDERS IN 2015 Spending ($bn) World share (%) 

U.S. 596bn 36% 

Others 19%

China 215bn 13%

Saudi Arabia 87.2 5.2%

Russia 66.4 4.0%

UK 55.5 3.3%

India 51.3 3.1%

France 50.9 3.0%

Japan 40.9 2.4%

Germany 39.4 2.4%

South Korea 36.4 2.2%

Brazil 24.6 1.5%

Italy 23.8 1.4%

Australia 23.6 1.4%

UAE* 22.8 1.4%

Israel 16.1 1.0%

*2014 figure

Picture: Getty Images

Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)

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