China vs Iran
China vs Iran: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $335B in China and $7.45B in Iran, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $328B, or 45 times that in Iran.
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 Iran ranked 37 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | China | Iran |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $335B | $7.45B |
| 2024 | $312B | $7.89B |
| 2023 | $292B | $8.83B |
| 2022 | $274B | $8.36B |
| 2021 | $263B | $7.95B |
| 2020 | $256B | $6.54B |
| 2019 | $244B | $6.29B |
| 2018 | $233B | $7.51B |
| 2017 | $220B | $8.46B |
| 2016 | $207B | $7.52B |
| 2015 | $196B | $6.55B |
| 2014 | $182B | $6.16B |
| 2013 | $168B | $6.18B |
| 2012 | $156B | $7.67B |
| 2011 | $141B | $7.36B |
| 2010 | $132B | $8.53B |
| 2009 | $125B | $8.39B |
| 2008 | $103B | $8.02B |
| 2007 | $94.4B | $8.33B |
| 2006 | $85.9B | $9.06B |
| 2005 | $74.6B | $7.57B |
| 2004 | $68B | $6.36B |
| 2003 | $61.7B | $4.92B |
| 2002 | $57B | $4.22B |
| 2001 | $49.6B | $3.92B |
| 2000 | $41.9B | $3.52B |
| 1999 | $38.7B | $3.2B |
| 1998 | $31.7B | $3.16B |
| 1997 | $29.1B | $3.16B |
| 1996 | $27.2B | $2.83B |
| 1995 | $25.7B | $2.57B |
| 1994 | $24.8B | $2.62B |
| 1993 | $25.7B | $2.12B |
| 1992 | $28B | $1.81B |
| 1991 | $23B | $2.09B |
| 1990 | $21.6B | $2.32B |
| 1989 | $19.9B | $2.61B |
| 1988 | – | $3.53B |
| 1987 | – | $3.81B |
| 1986 | – | $4.16B |
| 1985 | – | $5.19B |
| 1984 | – | $4.97B |
| 1983 | – | $5.7B |
| 1982 | – | $6.08B |
| 1981 | – | $5.66B |
| 1980 | – | $3.8B |
| 1979 | – | $4.69B |
| 1978 | – | $8.42B |
| 1977 | – | $8.85B |
| 1976 | – | $10.6B |
| 1975 | – | $9.37B |
| 1974 | – | $6.89B |
| 1973 | – | $994M |
| 1972 | – | $929M |
| 1971 | – | $1.07B |
| 1970 | – | $1.72B |
| 1969 | – | $1.59B |
| 1968 | – | $1.28B |
| 1967 | – | $972M |
| 1966 | – | $764M |
| 1965 | – | $594M |
| 1964 | – | $472M |
| 1963 | – | $406M |
| 1962 | – | $348M |
| 1961 | – | $338M |
| 1960 | – | $324M |
- 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 Iran
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Iran: 77.7 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Iran: 1.1 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Iran: 9.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Iran: 5.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Iran: 5.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Iran: 90.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Iran: 1.12% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Iran: 1.7 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Iran: 77.4% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Iran: 32.9 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Iran: 7.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Iran: 2.9 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Iran: 2.09% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Iran: $80 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Iran: 11.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Iran: 650,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Iran: 1.64% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Iran: 2.35% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Iran: 42 million TIV in 2024
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025Iran: 80 million TIV in 2025