China vs Ethiopia

China vs Ethiopia: Military spending

Military spending in 2025: 1.73% of GDP in China and 0.49% of GDP in Ethiopia, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by 1.23 percentage points, or 3.49 times that in Ethiopia.

Watch it change on the map

% of GDP · SIPRI

China vs Ethiopia: Military spendingMilitary spending in 2025: 1.73% of GDP in China and 0.49% of GDP in Ethiopia, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by 1.23 percentage points, or 3.49 times that in Ethiopia.
ChinaEthiopiaSIPRI estimateHighly uncertain

What the numbers say

  • China has been higher since 2008, when it overtook Ethiopia.
  • In 2025, China ranked 74 and Ethiopia ranked 140 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.

Every year

% of GDP · SIPRI

YearChinaEthiopia
20251.730.49
20241.660.49
20231.620.77
20221.590.86
20211.570.44
20201.720.47
20191.650.56
20181.640.63
20171.680.68
20161.730.68
20151.740.67
20141.710.73
20131.680.81
20121.670.87
20111.631.06
20101.71.11
20091.861.21
20081.691.53
20071.721.91
20061.842.31
20051.852.81
20041.913.13
20031.973.3
20022.033.76
20011.964.39
20001.827.69
19991.869.51
19981.647.28
19971.623.34
19961.642.12
19951.682.23
19941.742.87
19931.993.07
19922.473.44
19912.315.71
19902.459.66
19892.4510.28
1988–8.5
1987–6.86
1986–6.7
1985–6.82
1984–7.97
1983–7.18
1982–7.54
1981–7.54
1980–8.71
1979–6.89
1978–4.81
1977–3.97
1976–4.13
1975–4.49
1974–2.8
1973–1.93
1972–1.94
1971–1.91
1970–1.88
1969–2.02
1968–2.2
1967–2.49
1966–3.11
1965–3.23
1964–2.92
1963–2.43
1962–1.93
1961–1.86
  • Estimate
  • Highly uncertain

Each country on its own

Good to know

  • What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, as a share of its economy, 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

China vs Ethiopia

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