China vs Ethiopia
China vs Ethiopia: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $335B in China and $785M in Ethiopia, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $334B, or 430 times that in Ethiopia.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- China has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1989.
- In 2025, China ranked 2 and Ethiopia ranked 85 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | China | Ethiopia |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $335B | $785M |
| 2024 | $312B | $700M |
| 2023 | $292B | $982M |
| 2022 | $274B | $1.01B |
| 2021 | $263B | $492M |
| 2020 | $256B | $510M |
| 2019 | $244B | $585M |
| 2018 | $233B | $628M |
| 2017 | $220B | $636M |
| 2016 | $207B | $610M |
| 2015 | $196B | $531M |
| 2014 | $182B | $515M |
| 2013 | $168B | $497M |
| 2012 | $156B | $496M |
| 2011 | $141B | $515M |
| 2010 | $132B | $528M |
| 2009 | $125B | $544M |
| 2008 | $103B | $553M |
| 2007 | $94.4B | $693M |
| 2006 | $85.9B | $751M |
| 2005 | $74.6B | $832M |
| 2004 | $68B | $829M |
| 2003 | $61.7B | $764M |
| 2002 | $57B | $897M |
| 2001 | $49.6B | $1.08B |
| 2000 | $41.9B | $1.7B |
| 1999 | $38.7B | $1.88B |
| 1998 | $31.7B | $1.19B |
| 1997 | $29.1B | $555M |
| 1996 | $27.2B | $302M |
| 1995 | $25.7B | $259M |
| 1994 | $24.8B | $307M |
| 1993 | $25.7B | $334M |
| 1992 | $28B | $302M |
| 1991 | $23B | $510M |
| 1990 | $21.6B | $1.03B |
| 1989 | $19.9B | $1.08B |
| 1988 | – | $912M |
| 1987 | – | $757M |
| 1986 | – | $681M |
| 1985 | – | $600M |
| 1984 | – | $704M |
| 1983 | – | $737M |
| 1982 | – | $694M |
| 1981 | – | $697M |
| 1980 | – | $724M |
| 1979 | – | $582M |
| 1978 | – | $435M |
| 1977 | – | $377M |
| 1976 | – | $417M |
| 1975 | – | $524M |
| 1974 | – | $334M |
| 1973 | – | $238M |
| 1972 | – | $241M |
| 1971 | – | $216M |
| 1970 | – | $208M |
| 1969 | – | $228M |
| 1968 | – | $233M |
| 1967 | – | $249M |
| 1966 | – | $295M |
| 1965 | – | $287M |
- Estimate
- Highly uncertain
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
China vs Ethiopia
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Ethiopia: 67.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Ethiopia: 4.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Ethiopia: 33 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Ethiopia: 3.82% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Ethiopia: 9.6 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Ethiopia: 129 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Ethiopia: 2.59% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Ethiopia: 3.99 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Ethiopia: 24.1% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Ethiopia: 18.7 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Ethiopia: 3.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Ethiopia: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Ethiopia: 0.49% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Ethiopia: $4 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Ethiopia: 4.1% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Ethiopia: 138,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Ethiopia: 0.85% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Ethiopia: 0.28% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Ethiopia: 63 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025Ethiopia: 17 million TIV in 1997