Belgium vs Iran
Belgium vs Iran: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $13.6B in Belgium and $7.45B in Iran, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Belgium, by $6.14B, or 1.82 times that in Iran.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Belgium has been higher since 2024, when it overtook Iran.
- In 2025, Belgium ranked 30 and Iran ranked 37 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Belgium | Iran |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $13.6B | $7.45B |
| 2024 | $8.57B | $7.89B |
| 2023 | $7.88B | $8.83B |
| 2022 | $7.61B | $8.36B |
| 2021 | $6.72B | $7.95B |
| 2020 | $6.08B | $6.54B |
| 2019 | $5.59B | $6.29B |
| 2018 | $5.47B | $7.51B |
| 2017 | $5.35B | $8.46B |
| 2016 | $5.35B | $7.52B |
| 2015 | $5.37B | $6.55B |
| 2014 | $5.57B | $6.16B |
| 2013 | $5.67B | $6.18B |
| 2012 | $5.81B | $7.67B |
| 2011 | $5.88B | $7.36B |
| 2010 | $6.09B | $8.53B |
| 2009 | $6.36B | $8.39B |
| 2008 | $6.75B | $8.02B |
| 2007 | $6.2B | $8.33B |
| 2006 | $5.74B | $9.06B |
| 2005 | $5.79B | $7.57B |
| 2004 | $6.01B | $6.36B |
| 2003 | $6.13B | $4.92B |
| 2002 | $6.07B | $4.22B |
| 2001 | $6.26B | $3.92B |
| 2000 | $6.55B | $3.52B |
| 1999 | $6.55B | $3.2B |
| 1998 | $6.46B | $3.16B |
| 1997 | $6.46B | $3.16B |
| 1996 | $6.55B | $2.83B |
| 1995 | $6.67B | $2.57B |
| 1994 | $6.81B | $2.62B |
| 1993 | $6.85B | $2.12B |
| 1992 | $7.21B | $1.81B |
| 1991 | $8.78B | $2.09B |
| 1990 | $8.91B | $2.32B |
| 1989 | $9.08B | $2.61B |
| 1988 | $9.22B | $3.53B |
| 1987 | $9.63B | $3.81B |
| 1986 | $9.57B | $4.16B |
| 1985 | $9.19B | $5.19B |
| 1984 | $9.3B | $4.97B |
| 1983 | $9.71B | $5.7B |
| 1982 | $10.1B | $6.08B |
| 1981 | $10.5B | $5.66B |
| 1980 | $10.4B | $3.8B |
| 1979 | $10.2B | $4.69B |
| 1978 | $9.95B | $8.42B |
| 1977 | $9.33B | $8.85B |
| 1976 | $9.09B | $10.6B |
| 1975 | $8.64B | $9.37B |
| 1974 | $7.93B | $6.89B |
| 1973 | $7.82B | $994M |
| 1972 | $7.48B | $929M |
| 1971 | $7.1B | $1.07B |
| 1970 | $6.81B | $1.72B |
| 1969 | $6.39B | $1.59B |
| 1968 | $6.35B | $1.28B |
| 1967 | $6.13B | $972M |
| 1966 | $5.85B | $764M |
| 1965 | $5.41B | $594M |
| 1964 | $5.59B | $472M |
| 1963 | $5.21B | $406M |
| 1962 | $5.06B | $348M |
| 1961 | $4.75B | $338M |
| 1960 | $4.7B | $324M |
| 1959 | $4.6B | – |
| 1958 | $4.56B | – |
| 1957 | $4.63B | – |
| 1956 | $4.44B | – |
| 1955 | $4.57B | – |
| 1954 | $5.51B | – |
| 1953 | $5.34B | – |
| 1952 | $5.37B | – |
| 1951 | $3.63B | – |
| 1950 | $2.46B | – |
| 1949 | $2.43B | – |
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.
- 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
Belgium vs Iran
Health
- Life expectancyBelgium: 82.1 years in 2023Iran: 77.7 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBelgium: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024Iran: 1.1 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBelgium: 3.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023Iran: 9.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterBelgium: 99.7% in 2022Iran: 94.2% in 2022
- DepressionBelgium: 4.11% in 2017Iran: 5.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateBelgium: 14.3 per 100,000 people in 2017Iran: 5.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBelgium: 11.7 million people in 2023Iran: 90.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthBelgium: 0.25% a year in 2023Iran: 1.12% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBelgium: 1.38 births per woman in 2023Iran: 1.7 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBelgium: 87.7% in 2025Iran: 77.4% in 2025
- Median ageBelgium: 41.4 years in 2023Iran: 32.9 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBelgium: 20.2% in 2023Iran: 7.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateBelgium: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Iran: 2.9 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBelgium: 2.01% of GDP in 2025Iran: 2.09% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personBelgium: $1,237 in 2025Iran: $80 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBelgium: 3.7% of government spending in 2025Iran: 11.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBelgium: 24,000 people in 2020Iran: 650,000 people in 2020
- National powerBelgium: 0.22% of world capability in 2022Iran: 1.64% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBelgium: 0.47% of the labour force in 2020Iran: 2.35% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBelgium: 430 million TIV in 2025Iran: 42 million TIV in 2024
- Arms exportsBelgium: 86 million TIV in 2025Iran: 80 million TIV in 2025