Australia vs Belgium
Australia vs Belgium: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $35.3B in Australia and $13.6B in Belgium, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Australia, by $21.7B, or 2.59 times that in Belgium.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Australia has been higher since 1955, when it overtook Belgium.
- In 2025, Australia ranked 17 and Belgium ranked 30 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Australia | Belgium |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $35.3B | $13.6B |
| 2024 | $34.2B | $8.57B |
| 2023 | $33.2B | $7.88B |
| 2022 | $33.6B | $7.61B |
| 2021 | $33.4B | $6.72B |
| 2020 | $31.3B | $6.08B |
| 2019 | $29.8B | $5.59B |
| 2018 | $29B | $5.47B |
| 2017 | $29.7B | $5.35B |
| 2016 | $29.8B | $5.35B |
| 2015 | $27.2B | $5.37B |
| 2014 | $24.7B | $5.57B |
| 2013 | $22.7B | $5.67B |
| 2012 | $22.9B | $5.81B |
| 2011 | $23.8B | $5.88B |
| 2010 | $24.1B | $6.09B |
| 2009 | $23.8B | $6.36B |
| 2008 | $22.2B | $6.75B |
| 2007 | $21.4B | $6.2B |
| 2006 | $20.1B | $5.74B |
| 2005 | $19.1B | $5.79B |
| 2004 | $18.5B | $6.01B |
| 2003 | $17.7B | $6.13B |
| 2002 | $17.4B | $6.07B |
| 2001 | $16.7B | $6.26B |
| 2000 | $16.1B | $6.55B |
| 1999 | $16.1B | $6.55B |
| 1998 | $15.4B | $6.46B |
| 1997 | $14.6B | $6.46B |
| 1996 | $14.4B | $6.55B |
| 1995 | $14.6B | $6.67B |
| 1994 | $15B | $6.81B |
| 1993 | $14.9B | $6.85B |
| 1992 | $14.3B | $7.21B |
| 1991 | $13.9B | $8.78B |
| 1990 | $13.7B | $8.91B |
| 1989 | $13.6B | $9.08B |
| 1988 | $13.7B | $9.22B |
| 1987 | $14.2B | $9.63B |
| 1986 | $14.7B | $9.57B |
| 1985 | $14.7B | $9.19B |
| 1984 | $14B | $9.3B |
| 1983 | $13B | $9.71B |
| 1982 | $12.5B | $10.1B |
| 1981 | $11.9B | $10.5B |
| 1980 | $11.2B | $10.4B |
| 1979 | $10.6B | $10.2B |
| 1978 | $10.3B | $9.95B |
| 1977 | $10.2B | $9.33B |
| 1976 | $10.1B | $9.09B |
| 1975 | $9.95B | $8.64B |
| 1974 | $9.8B | $7.93B |
| 1973 | $9.93B | $7.82B |
| 1972 | $10.4B | $7.48B |
| 1971 | $10.4B | $7.1B |
| 1970 | $10.7B | $6.81B |
| 1969 | $11.4B | $6.39B |
| 1968 | $11.8B | $6.35B |
| 1967 | $11B | $6.13B |
| 1966 | $9.33B | $5.85B |
| 1965 | $7.67B | $5.41B |
| 1964 | $6.64B | $5.59B |
| 1963 | $5.73B | $5.21B |
| 1962 | $5.1B | $5.06B |
| 1961 | $4.89B | $4.75B |
| 1960 | $4.9B | $4.7B |
| 1959 | $4.98B | $4.6B |
| 1958 | $4.95B | $4.56B |
| 1957 | $5B | $4.63B |
| 1956 | $5.2B | $4.44B |
| 1955 | $5.37B | $4.57B |
| 1954 | $5.29B | $5.51B |
| 1953 | $5.9B | $5.34B |
| 1952 | $5.86B | $5.37B |
| 1951 | $4.59B | $3.63B |
| 1950 | $3.19B | $2.46B |
| 1949 | – | $2.43B |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Australia vs Belgium
Health
- Life expectancyAustralia: 83.9 years in 2023Belgium: 82.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityAustralia: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024Belgium: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityAustralia: 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023Belgium: 3.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionAustralia: 4.62% in 2017Belgium: 4.11% in 2017
- Suicide rateAustralia: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017Belgium: 14.3 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationAustralia: 26.5 million people in 2023Belgium: 11.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthAustralia: 0.99% a year in 2023Belgium: 0.25% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateAustralia: 1.64 births per woman in 2023Belgium: 1.38 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationAustralia: 87.7% in 2025Belgium: 87.7% in 2025
- Median ageAustralia: 37.8 years in 2023Belgium: 41.4 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overAustralia: 17.4% in 2023Belgium: 20.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateAustralia: 5.3 per 1,000 people in 2023Belgium: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingAustralia: 1.92% of GDP in 2025Belgium: 2.01% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personAustralia: $1,316 in 2025Belgium: $1,237 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingAustralia: 4.9% of government spending in 2025Belgium: 3.7% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelAustralia: 60,000 people in 2020Belgium: 24,000 people in 2020
- National powerAustralia: 0.6% of world capability in 2022Belgium: 0.22% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersAustralia: 0.44% of the labour force in 2020Belgium: 0.47% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsAustralia: 826 million TIV in 2025Belgium: 430 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsAustralia: 108 million TIV in 2025Belgium: 86 million TIV in 2025