China vs Germany
China vs Germany: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $335B in China and $107B in Germany, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $228B, or 3.14 times that in Germany.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- China has been higher since 2001, when it overtook Germany.
- In 2025, China ranked 2 and Germany ranked 4 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | China | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $335B | $107B |
| 2024 | $312B | $86.2B |
| 2023 | $292B | $70.2B |
| 2022 | $274B | $62.5B |
| 2021 | $263B | $59.9B |
| 2020 | $256B | $60.4B |
| 2019 | $244B | $56.7B |
| 2018 | $233B | $51.7B |
| 2017 | $220B | $50.3B |
| 2016 | $207B | $48.9B |
| 2015 | $196B | $46.9B |
| 2014 | $182B | $46.1B |
| 2013 | $168B | $46B |
| 2012 | $156B | $47.8B |
| 2011 | $141B | $46.5B |
| 2010 | $132B | $47.4B |
| 2009 | $125B | $47.3B |
| 2008 | $103B | $45.6B |
| 2007 | $94.4B | $44.5B |
| 2006 | $85.9B | $44.5B |
| 2005 | $74.6B | $45.3B |
| 2004 | $68B | $46B |
| 2003 | $61.7B | $47.4B |
| 2002 | $57B | $48.1B |
| 2001 | $49.6B | $48B |
| 2000 | $41.9B | $48.8B |
| 1999 | $38.7B | $49.6B |
| 1998 | $31.7B | $48.6B |
| 1997 | $29.1B | $48.4B |
| 1996 | $27.2B | $50.3B |
| 1995 | $25.7B | $51.3B |
| 1994 | $24.8B | $52.1B |
| 1993 | $25.7B | $55.9B |
| 1992 | $28B | $62.2B |
| 1991 | $23B | $65.4B |
| 1990 | $21.6B | – |
| 1989 | $19.9B | – |
- 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
China vs Germany
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Germany: 81.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Germany: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Germany: 3 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Germany: 3.96% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Germany: 9.9 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Germany: 84.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Germany: 0.35% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Germany: 1.44 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Germany: 82.1% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Germany: 45.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Germany: 22.8% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Germany: 7.2 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Germany: 2.27% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Germany: $1,346 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Germany: 4.5% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Germany: 183,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Germany: 1.5% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Germany: 0.42% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Germany: 1.63 billion TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025Germany: 1.7 billion TIV in 2025