China vs Myanmar (Burma)
China vs Myanmar (Burma): Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars: $335B in China in 2025 and $4.65B in Myanmar (Burma) in 2024, by SIPRI estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in China, by $307B, or 67 times that in Myanmar (Burma).
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- China has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1989.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | China | Myanmar (Burma) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $335B | – |
| 2024 | $312B | $4.65B |
| 2023 | $292B | $2.88B |
| 2022 | $274B | $3.31B |
| 2021 | $263B | $3.7B |
| 2020 | $256B | $3.33B |
| 2019 | $244B | $2.28B |
| 2018 | $233B | $2.36B |
| 2017 | $220B | $3.46B |
| 2016 | $207B | $3.65B |
| 2015 | $196B | $3.82B |
| 2014 | $182B | $3.29B |
| 2013 | $168B | $3.27B |
| 2012 | $156B | $2.97B |
| 2011 | $141B | – |
| 2010 | $132B | – |
| 2009 | $125B | – |
| 2008 | $103B | – |
| 2007 | $94.4B | – |
| 2006 | $85.9B | – |
| 2005 | $74.6B | $716M |
| 2004 | $68B | $708M |
| 2003 | $61.7B | $634M |
| 2002 | $57B | $426M |
| 2001 | $49.6B | $585M |
| 2000 | $41.9B | $653M |
| 1999 | $38.7B | $484M |
| 1998 | $31.7B | $489M |
| 1997 | $29.1B | $593M |
| 1996 | $27.2B | $713M |
| 1995 | $25.7B | $668M |
| 1994 | $24.8B | $628M |
| 1993 | $25.7B | $591M |
| 1992 | $28B | $514M |
| 1991 | $23B | $443M |
| 1990 | $21.6B | $511M |
| 1989 | $19.9B | $430M |
| 1988 | – | $242M |
| 1987 | – | $233M |
| 1986 | – | $365M |
| 1985 | – | $391M |
| 1984 | – | $393M |
| 1983 | – | $402M |
| 1982 | – | $418M |
| 1981 | – | $433M |
| 1980 | – | $387M |
| 1979 | – | $371M |
| 1978 | – | $389M |
| 1977 | – | $350M |
| 1976 | – | $301M |
| 1975 | – | $314M |
| 1974 | – | $363M |
| 1973 | – | $439M |
| 1972 | – | $468M |
| 1971 | – | $479M |
| 1970 | – | $470M |
| 1969 | – | $420M |
| 1968 | – | $367M |
| 1967 | – | $367M |
| 1966 | – | $382M |
| 1965 | – | $488M |
| 1964 | – | $524M |
| 1963 | – | $535M |
| 1962 | – | $471M |
| 1961 | – | $437M |
| 1960 | – | $456M |
| 1959 | – | $472M |
| 1958 | – | $436M |
| 1957 | – | $396M |
| 1956 | – | $386M |
| 1955 | – | $385M |
| 1954 | – | $438M |
| 1953 | – | $350M |
| 1952 | – | $245M |
| 1951 | – | $159M |
- 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 Myanmar (Burma)
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 66.9 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Myanmar (Burma): 3.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 31.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Myanmar (Burma): 2.3% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Myanmar (Burma): 5 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 54.1 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 0.69% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 2.12 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Myanmar (Burma): 30.6% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 29.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 7.1% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Myanmar (Burma): -0.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Myanmar (Burma): 6.61% of GDP in 2024
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Myanmar (Burma): $92 in 2024
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Myanmar (Burma): 32% of government spending in 2024
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Myanmar (Burma): 463,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Myanmar (Burma): 0.53% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Myanmar (Burma): 1.94% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Myanmar (Burma): 70 million TIV in 2025