China vs Kenya
China vs Kenya: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $335B in China and $1.36B in Kenya, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $334B, or 250 times that in Kenya.
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 Kenya ranked 73 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | China | Kenya |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $335B | $1.36B |
| 2024 | $312B | $1.26B |
| 2023 | $292B | $1.14B |
| 2022 | $274B | $1.14B |
| 2021 | $263B | $1.16B |
| 2020 | $256B | $1.13B |
| 2019 | $244B | $1.15B |
| 2018 | $233B | $1.19B |
| 2017 | $220B | $1.16B |
| 2016 | $207B | $1.13B |
| 2015 | $196B | $1.05B |
| 2014 | $182B | $976M |
| 2013 | $168B | $1.07B |
| 2012 | $156B | $1.09B |
| 2011 | $141B | $962M |
| 2010 | $132B | $941M |
| 2009 | $125B | $887M |
| 2008 | $103B | $870M |
| 2007 | $94.4B | $911M |
| 2006 | $85.9B | $814M |
| 2005 | $74.6B | $823M |
| 2004 | $68B | $780M |
| 2003 | $61.7B | $791M |
| 2002 | $57B | $783M |
| 2001 | $49.6B | $728M |
| 2000 | $41.9B | $632M |
| 1999 | $38.7B | $589M |
| 1998 | $31.7B | $605M |
| 1997 | $29.1B | $642M |
| 1996 | $27.2B | $676M |
| 1995 | $25.7B | $578M |
| 1994 | $24.8B | $504M |
| 1993 | $25.7B | $605M |
| 1992 | $28B | $724M |
| 1991 | $23B | $968M |
| 1990 | $21.6B | $1.24B |
| 1989 | $19.9B | $1.22B |
| 1988 | – | $1.31B |
| 1987 | – | $1.36B |
| 1986 | – | $1.06B |
| 1985 | – | $884M |
| 1984 | – | $1.05B |
| 1983 | – | $1.28B |
| 1982 | – | $1.36B |
| 1981 | – | $1.35B |
| 1980 | – | $1.39B |
| 1979 | – | $1.71B |
| 1978 | – | $1.57B |
| 1977 | – | $1.21B |
| 1976 | – | $723M |
| 1975 | – | $504M |
| 1974 | – | $505M |
| 1973 | – | $467M |
| 1972 | – | $414M |
| 1971 | – | $325M |
| 1970 | – | $260M |
| 1969 | – | $246M |
| 1968 | – | $255M |
| 1967 | – | $250M |
| 1966 | – | $208M |
| 1965 | – | $165M |
| 1964 | – | $102M |
| 1963 | – | $32.2M |
- 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 Kenya
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Kenya: 63.7 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Kenya: 3.9 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Kenya: 29.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Kenya: 3.51% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Kenya: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Kenya: 55.3 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Kenya: 1.97% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Kenya: 3.21 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Kenya: 32.2% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Kenya: 19.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Kenya: 2.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Kenya: -0.2 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Kenya: 1.07% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Kenya: $26 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Kenya: 4.6% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Kenya: 24,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Kenya: 0.23% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Kenya: 0.11% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Kenya: 117 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025Kenya: 2 million TIV in 1993