China vs Thailand
China vs Thailand: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $335B in China and $5.57B in Thailand, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $329B, or 60 times that in Thailand.
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 Thailand ranked 45 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | China | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $335B | $5.57B |
| 2024 | $312B | $5.52B |
| 2023 | $292B | $5.74B |
| 2022 | $274B | $6.14B |
| 2021 | $263B | $7.01B |
| 2020 | $256B | $7.13B |
| 2019 | $244B | $6.88B |
| 2018 | $233B | $6.71B |
| 2017 | $220B | $6.56B |
| 2016 | $207B | $6.23B |
| 2015 | $196B | $5.91B |
| 2014 | $182B | $5.71B |
| 2013 | $168B | $5.48B |
| 2012 | $156B | $5.51B |
| 2011 | $141B | $5.31B |
| 2010 | $132B | $5.77B |
| 2009 | $125B | $5.39B |
| 2008 | $103B | $4.37B |
| 2007 | $94.4B | $3.5B |
| 2006 | $85.9B | $3.09B |
| 2005 | $74.6B | $3.04B |
| 2004 | $68B | $3.32B |
| 2003 | $61.7B | $3.39B |
| 2002 | $57B | $3.39B |
| 2001 | $49.6B | $3.41B |
| 2000 | $41.9B | $3.42B |
| 1999 | $38.7B | $3.58B |
| 1998 | $31.7B | $4.03B |
| 1997 | $29.1B | $5.11B |
| 1996 | $27.2B | $5.26B |
| 1995 | $25.7B | $5.35B |
| 1994 | $24.8B | $5.36B |
| 1993 | $25.7B | $4.95B |
| 1992 | $28B | $4.82B |
| 1991 | $23B | $4.42B |
| 1990 | $21.6B | $3.99B |
| 1989 | $19.9B | $3.72B |
| 1988 | – | $3.6B |
| 1987 | – | $3.57B |
| 1986 | – | $3.6B |
| 1985 | – | $3.77B |
| 1984 | – | $3.5B |
| 1983 | – | $3.2B |
| 1982 | – | $3.17B |
| 1981 | – | $2.97B |
| 1980 | – | $3.04B |
| 1979 | – | $3.17B |
| 1978 | – | $2.73B |
| 1977 | – | $2.16B |
| 1976 | – | $1.8B |
| 1975 | – | $1.46B |
| 1974 | – | $1.35B |
| 1973 | – | $1.44B |
| 1972 | – | $1.54B |
| 1971 | – | $1.49B |
| 1970 | – | $1.24B |
| 1969 | – | $1.06B |
| 1968 | – | $904M |
| 1967 | – | $752M |
| 1966 | – | $655M |
| 1965 | – | $608M |
| 1964 | – | $564M |
| 1963 | – | $549M |
| 1962 | – | $517M |
| 1961 | – | $396M |
| 1960 | – | $457M |
| 1959 | – | $490M |
| 1958 | – | $478M |
| 1957 | – | $539M |
- 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 Thailand
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Thailand: 76.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Thailand: 0.9 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Thailand: 6.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Thailand: 3.09% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Thailand: 10.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Thailand: 71.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Thailand: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Thailand: 1.21 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Thailand: 62.8% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Thailand: 39.7 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Thailand: 14.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Thailand: 0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Thailand: 1.04% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Thailand: $84 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Thailand: 4.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Thailand: 455,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Thailand: 0.79% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Thailand: 1.13% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Thailand: 33 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025Thailand: 15 million TIV in 2024