China vs Iran
China vs Iran: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $237 in China and $80 in Iran, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $156, or 2.95 times that in Iran.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- China has been higher since 2018, when it overtook Iran.
- In 2025, China ranked 56 and Iran ranked 83 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | China | Iran |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $237 | $80 |
| 2024 | $220 | $87 |
| 2023 | $208 | $82 |
| 2022 | $205 | $84 |
| 2021 | $201 | $65 |
| 2020 | $181 | $38 |
| 2019 | $169 | $57 |
| 2018 | $164 | $138 |
| 2017 | $150 | $165 |
| 2016 | $142 | $147 |
| 2015 | $141 | $129 |
| 2014 | $132 | $122 |
| 2013 | $119 | $150 |
| 2012 | $106 | $209 |
| 2011 | $92 | $183 |
| 2010 | $78 | $176 |
| 2009 | $72 | $166 |
| 2008 | $59 | $148 |
| 2007 | $47 | $126 |
| 2006 | $39 | $121 |
| 2005 | $33 | $96 |
| 2004 | $29 | $75 |
| 2003 | $26 | $55 |
| 2002 | $24 | $48 |
| 2001 | $21 | $155 |
| 2000 | $18 | $126 |
| 1999 | $16 | $102 |
| 1998 | $14 | $86 |
| 1997 | $13 | $73 |
| 1996 | $12 | $57 |
| 1995 | $10 | $40 |
| 1994 | $8 | $28 |
| 1993 | $10 | $23 |
| 1992 | $10 | $325 |
| 1991 | $8 | $296 |
| 1990 | $9 | $286 |
| 1989 | $10 | $292 |
| 1988 | – | $348 |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- 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 in US dollarsChina: $335B in 2025Iran: $7.45B 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