Australia vs China
Australia vs China: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $1,316 in Australia and $237 in China, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Australia, by $1,079, or 5.56 times that in China.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Australia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1989.
- In 2025, Australia ranked 14 and China ranked 56 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Australia | China |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,316 | $237 |
| 2024 | $1,288 | $220 |
| 2023 | $1,231 | $208 |
| 2022 | $1,244 | $205 |
| 2021 | $1,267 | $201 |
| 2020 | $1,064 | $181 |
| 2019 | $1,030 | $169 |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $164 |
| 2017 | $1,129 | $150 |
| 2016 | $1,093 | $142 |
| 2015 | $1,012 | $141 |
| 2014 | $1,101 | $132 |
| 2013 | $1,077 | $119 |
| 2012 | $1,157 | $106 |
| 2011 | $1,192 | $92 |
| 2010 | $1,056 | $78 |
| 2009 | $878 | $72 |
| 2008 | $881 | $59 |
| 2007 | $828 | $47 |
| 2006 | $697 | $39 |
| 2005 | $657 | $33 |
| 2004 | $602 | $29 |
| 2003 | $504 | $26 |
| 2002 | $408 | $24 |
| 2001 | $366 | $21 |
| 2000 | $383 | $18 |
| 1999 | $413 | $16 |
| 1998 | $382 | $14 |
| 1997 | $431 | $13 |
| 1996 | $451 | $12 |
| 1995 | $426 | $10 |
| 1994 | $419 | $8 |
| 1993 | $382 | $10 |
| 1992 | $394 | $10 |
| 1991 | $407 | $8 |
| 1990 | $394 | $9 |
| 1989 | $377 | $10 |
| 1988 | $355 | – |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- 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 China
Health
- Life expectancyAustralia: 83.9 years in 2023China: 78 years in 2023
- Child mortalityAustralia: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024China: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityAustralia: 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023China: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionAustralia: 4.62% in 2017China: 3.31% in 2017
- Suicide rateAustralia: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017China: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationAustralia: 26.5 million people in 2023China: 1.42 billion people in 2023
- Population growthAustralia: 0.99% a year in 2023China: -0.24% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateAustralia: 1.64 births per woman in 2023China: 1 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationAustralia: 87.7% in 2025China: 66.3% in 2025
- Median ageAustralia: 37.8 years in 2023China: 39.1 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overAustralia: 17.4% in 2023China: 14.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateAustralia: 5.3 per 1,000 people in 2023China: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingAustralia: 1.92% of GDP in 2025China: 1.73% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsAustralia: $35.3B in 2025China: $335B in 2025
- Military share of state spendingAustralia: 4.9% of government spending in 2025China: 5.1% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelAustralia: 60,000 people in 2020China: 2.54 million people in 2020
- National powerAustralia: 0.6% of world capability in 2022China: 23.41% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersAustralia: 0.44% of the labour force in 2020China: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsAustralia: 826 million TIV in 2025China: 207 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsAustralia: 108 million TIV in 2025China: 880 million TIV in 2025