Australia vs United Kingdom
Australia vs United Kingdom: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $35.3B in Australia and $88B in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by $52.7B, or 2.5 times that in Australia.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
- In 2025, Australia ranked 17 and United Kingdom ranked 6 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Australia | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $35.3B | $88B |
| 2024 | $34.2B | $89.8B |
| 2023 | $33.2B | $78.2B |
| 2022 | $33.6B | $73.2B |
| 2021 | $33.4B | $72.1B |
| 2020 | $31.3B | $71B |
| 2019 | $29.8B | $69.9B |
| 2018 | $29B | $67.1B |
| 2017 | $29.7B | $66.6B |
| 2016 | $29.8B | $66.4B |
| 2015 | $27.2B | $66.7B |
| 2014 | $24.7B | $69.3B |
| 2013 | $22.7B | $70.6B |
| 2012 | $22.9B | $73.3B |
| 2011 | $23.8B | $75.4B |
| 2010 | $24.1B | $78B |
| 2009 | $23.8B | $79.3B |
| 2008 | $22.2B | $78.1B |
| 2007 | $21.4B | $74.8B |
| 2006 | $20.1B | $72.8B |
| 2005 | $19.1B | $72.5B |
| 2004 | $18.5B | $71.8B |
| 2003 | $17.7B | $71B |
| 2002 | $17.4B | $66.2B |
| 2001 | $16.7B | $62.5B |
| 2000 | $16.1B | $60.1B |
| 1999 | $16.1B | $59B |
| 1998 | $15.4B | $59.3B |
| 1997 | $14.6B | $59.1B |
| 1996 | $14.4B | $61.3B |
| 1995 | $14.6B | $61.8B |
| 1994 | $15B | $65.9B |
| 1993 | $14.9B | $67.8B |
| 1992 | $14.3B | $71B |
| 1991 | $13.9B | $76.1B |
| 1990 | $13.7B | $75.2B |
| 1989 | $13.6B | $75.1B |
| 1988 | $13.7B | $74.4B |
| 1987 | $14.2B | $77.2B |
| 1986 | $14.7B | $78B |
| 1985 | $14.7B | $79B |
| 1984 | $14B | $78.3B |
| 1983 | $13B | $74.6B |
| 1982 | $12.5B | $71.4B |
| 1981 | $11.9B | $65.5B |
| 1980 | $11.2B | $66.8B |
| 1979 | $10.6B | $62.7B |
| 1978 | $10.3B | $60.8B |
| 1977 | $10.2B | $58.9B |
| 1976 | $10.1B | $61.6B |
| 1975 | $9.95B | $62.5B |
| 1974 | $9.8B | $59.5B |
| 1973 | $9.93B | $59.5B |
| 1972 | $10.4B | $59.3B |
| 1971 | $10.4B | $55.7B |
| 1970 | $10.7B | $55.9B |
| 1969 | $11.4B | $54.2B |
| 1968 | $11.8B | $57.4B |
| 1967 | $11B | $58.2B |
| 1966 | $9.33B | $56.8B |
| 1965 | $7.67B | $57.1B |
| 1964 | $6.64B | $56.9B |
| 1963 | $5.73B | $55.4B |
| 1962 | $5.1B | $54.5B |
| 1961 | $4.89B | $53.8B |
| 1960 | $4.9B | $53.8B |
| 1959 | $4.98B | $52.7B |
| 1958 | $4.95B | $53B |
| 1957 | $5B | $54.4B |
| 1956 | $5.2B | $56.4B |
| 1955 | $5.37B | $57.4B |
| 1954 | $5.29B | $60.3B |
| 1953 | $5.9B | $63.5B |
| 1952 | $5.86B | $57.2B |
| 1951 | $4.59B | $44.7B |
| 1950 | $3.19B | $38B |
- 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 United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancyAustralia: 83.9 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityAustralia: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityAustralia: 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionAustralia: 4.62% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateAustralia: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationAustralia: 26.5 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthAustralia: 0.99% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateAustralia: 1.64 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationAustralia: 87.7% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageAustralia: 37.8 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overAustralia: 17.4% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateAustralia: 5.3 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personAustralia: $61,370 in 2025United Kingdom: $48,420 in 2025
- GDP growthAustralia: 2% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 1.2% a year in 2025
- InflationAustralia: 2.8% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 3.4% a year in 2025
- Government debtAustralia: 51.9% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 102.1% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingAustralia: 1.92% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personAustralia: $1,316 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingAustralia: 4.9% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelAustralia: 60,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerAustralia: 0.6% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersAustralia: 0.44% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsAustralia: 826 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsAustralia: 108 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025