China vs Pakistan
China vs Pakistan: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $335B in China and $11.5B in Pakistan, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $324B, or 29 times that in Pakistan.
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 Pakistan ranked 31 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | China | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $335B | $11.5B |
| 2024 | $312B | $10.3B |
| 2023 | $292B | $9.78B |
| 2022 | $274B | $11.2B |
| 2021 | $263B | $12B |
| 2020 | $256B | $11.5B |
| 2019 | $244B | $11.7B |
| 2018 | $233B | $11.8B |
| 2017 | $220B | $10.6B |
| 2016 | $207B | $9.66B |
| 2015 | $196B | $9.34B |
| 2014 | $182B | $8.6B |
| 2013 | $168B | $8.17B |
| 2012 | $156B | $7.9B |
| 2011 | $141B | $7.45B |
| 2010 | $132B | $7.07B |
| 2009 | $125B | $6.76B |
| 2008 | $103B | $6.56B |
| 2007 | $94.4B | $6.96B |
| 2006 | $85.9B | $6.91B |
| 2005 | $74.6B | $6.8B |
| 2004 | $68B | $6.53B |
| 2003 | $61.7B | $6.27B |
| 2002 | $57B | $5.87B |
| 2001 | $49.6B | $5.46B |
| 2000 | $41.9B | $5.1B |
| 1999 | $38.7B | $5.09B |
| 1998 | $31.7B | $5.04B |
| 1997 | $29.1B | $5.04B |
| 1996 | $27.2B | $5.27B |
| 1995 | $25.7B | $5.27B |
| 1994 | $24.8B | $5.18B |
| 1993 | $25.7B | $5.33B |
| 1992 | $28B | $5.36B |
| 1991 | $23B | $5.04B |
| 1990 | $21.6B | $4.71B |
| 1989 | $19.9B | $4.46B |
| 1988 | – | $4.45B |
| 1987 | – | $4.3B |
| 1986 | – | $3.93B |
| 1985 | – | $3.65B |
| 1984 | – | $3.36B |
| 1983 | – | $3.12B |
| 1982 | – | $2.8B |
| 1981 | – | $2.32B |
| 1980 | – | $2.14B |
| 1979 | – | $1.98B |
| 1978 | – | $1.87B |
| 1977 | – | $1.76B |
| 1976 | – | $1.77B |
| 1975 | – | $1.75B |
| 1974 | – | $1.67B |
| 1973 | – | $1.68B |
| 1972 | – | $1.8B |
| 1971 | – | $1.6B |
| 1970 | – | $1.44B |
| 1969 | – | $1.32B |
| 1968 | – | $1.21B |
| 1967 | – | $1.18B |
| 1966 | – | $1.45B |
| 1965 | – | $1.24B |
| 1964 | – | $770M |
| 1963 | – | $683M |
| 1962 | – | $632M |
| 1961 | – | $660M |
| 1960 | – | $666M |
| 1959 | – | $640M |
| 1958 | – | $543M |
| 1957 | – | $523M |
| 1956 | – | $630M |
- 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 Pakistan
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Pakistan: 67.7 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Pakistan: 5.6 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Pakistan: 49.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Pakistan: 3.33% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Pakistan: 4.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Pakistan: 248 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Pakistan: 1.48% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Pakistan: 3.61 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Pakistan: 39.5% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Pakistan: 20.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Pakistan: 4.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Pakistan: -6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Pakistan: 2.91% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Pakistan: $47 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Pakistan: 13.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Pakistan: 943,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Pakistan: 1.77% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Pakistan: 1.25% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Pakistan: 706 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025Pakistan: 127 million TIV in 2025