China vs Nepal
China vs Nepal: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $335B in China and $429M in Nepal, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $335B, or 780 times that in Nepal.
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 Nepal ranked 104 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | China | Nepal |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $335B | $429M |
| 2024 | $312B | $436M |
| 2023 | $292B | $471M |
| 2022 | $274B | $479M |
| 2021 | $263B | $478M |
| 2020 | $256B | $484M |
| 2019 | $244B | $471M |
| 2018 | $233B | $486M |
| 2017 | $220B | $496M |
| 2016 | $207B | $431M |
| 2015 | $196B | $406M |
| 2014 | $182B | $422M |
| 2013 | $168B | $374M |
| 2012 | $156B | $341M |
| 2011 | $141B | $359M |
| 2010 | $132B | $348M |
| 2009 | $125B | $331M |
| 2008 | $103B | $295M |
| 2007 | $94.4B | $280M |
| 2006 | $85.9B | $291M |
| 2005 | $74.6B | $309M |
| 2004 | $68B | $280M |
| 2003 | $61.7B | $234M |
| 2002 | $57B | $210M |
| 2001 | $49.6B | $158M |
| 2000 | $41.9B | $122M |
| 1999 | $38.7B | $111M |
| 1998 | $31.7B | $103M |
| 1997 | $29.1B | $101M |
| 1996 | $27.2B | $95.5M |
| 1995 | $25.7B | $96M |
| 1994 | $24.8B | $97.1M |
| 1993 | $25.7B | $97.7M |
| 1992 | $28B | $93.7M |
| 1991 | $23B | $90.2M |
| 1990 | $21.6B | $88M |
| 1989 | $19.9B | $84.4M |
| 1988 | – | $77.5M |
| 1987 | – | $75.1M |
| 1986 | – | $74M |
| 1985 | – | $74.4M |
| 1984 | – | $69.4M |
| 1983 | – | $62.8M |
| 1982 | – | $56.3M |
| 1981 | – | $50.5M |
| 1980 | – | $49.9M |
| 1979 | – | $49.3M |
| 1978 | – | $44.3M |
| 1977 | – | $43.6M |
| 1976 | – | $43.1M |
| 1975 | – | $32.6M |
| 1974 | – | $27M |
| 1973 | – | $27.2M |
| 1972 | – | $26.6M |
| 1971 | – | $26.1M |
| 1970 | – | $22.5M |
- 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 Nepal
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Nepal: 70.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Nepal: 2.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Nepal: 21.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Nepal: 3.61% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Nepal: 8.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Nepal: 29.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Nepal: -0.14% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Nepal: 1.98 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Nepal: 67% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Nepal: 24.7 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Nepal: 6.4% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Nepal: -13.8 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Nepal: 0.97% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Nepal: $14 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Nepal: 4.5% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Nepal: 112,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Nepal: 0.18% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Nepal: 1.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Nepal: 6 million TIV in 2025