El Salvador vs Guatemala: Military spending
Military spending in 2025: 1.34% of GDP in El Salvador and 0.52% of GDP in Guatemala, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in El Salvador, by 0.82 percentage points, or 2.56 times that in Guatemala.
El SalvadorGuatemala
Watch it change on the map% of GDP · SIPRI
Latest figures
% of GDP · SIPRI
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Salvador | 1.34 2025 | 1.06 | 92 of 151 |
| Guatemala | 0.52 2025 | 0.41 | 139 of 151 |
What the numbers say
- El Salvador has been higher since 2001, when it overtook Guatemala.
- In 2025, El Salvador ranked 92 and Guatemala ranked 139 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of GDP · SIPRI
| Year | El Salvador | Guatemala |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.34 | 0.52 |
| 2024 | 1.39 | 0.4 |
| 2023 | 1.34 | 0.42 |
| 2022 | 1.44 | 0.46 |
| 2021 | 1.21 | 0.39 |
| 2020 | 1.38 | 0.44 |
| 2019 | 1.18 | 0.43 |
| 2018 | 1.13 | 0.37 |
| 2017 | 1.04 | 0.38 |
| 2016 | 1.02 | 0.44 |
| 2015 | 1.06 | 0.41 |
| 2014 | 1.04 | 0.42 |
| 2013 | 1.08 | 0.47 |
| 2012 | 1.05 | 0.48 |
| 2011 | 1.09 | 0.46 |
| 2010 | 1.09 | 0.44 |
| 2009 | 1.08 | 0.4 |
| 2008 | 0.96 | 0.47 |
| 2007 | 0.97 | 0.4 |
| 2006 | 0.89 | 0.43 |
| 2005 | 0.9 | 0.38 |
| 2004 | 0.81 | 0.48 |
| 2003 | 0.84 | 0.82 |
| 2002 | 1.13 | 0.76 |
| 2001 | 1.09 | 1.05 |
| 2000 | 0.84 | 0.92 |
| 1999 | 0.92 | 0.68 |
| 1998 | 0.92 | 0.72 |
| 1997 | 1.01 | 0.74 |
| 1996 | 1.07 | 0.9 |
| 1995 | 1.18 | 1.08 |
| 1994 | 1.35 | 1.18 |
| 1993 | 1.68 | 1.27 |
| 1992 | 2.25 | 1.47 |
| 1991 | 2.73 | 1.27 |
| 1990 | 3.41 | 1.73 |
| 1989 | 4.87 | 1.8 |
| 1988 | 4.27 | 1.87 |
| 1987 | 4.47 | 1.75 |
| 1986 | 4.33 | 1.67 |
| 1985 | 6.59 | 2.01 |
| 1984 | 6.44 | 2.19 |
| 1983 | 3.55 | 2.04 |
| 1982 | 2.78 | 2.03 |
| 1981 | 2.28 | 1.89 |
| 1980 | 1.74 | 1.32 |
| 1979 | 1.58 | 1.31 |
| 1978 | 1.12 | 1.18 |
| 1977 | 0.97 | 1.37 |
| 1976 | 0.88 | 1.27 |
| 1975 | 0.83 | 1.23 |
| 1974 | 0.8 | 0.9 |
| 1973 | 0.87 | 0.91 |
| 1972 | 0.88 | 1.14 |
| 1971 | 0.72 | 1.12 |
| 1970 | 0.63 | 1.7 |
| 1969 | 0.72 | 1.03 |
| 1968 | 0.66 | 1.27 |
| 1967 | 0.69 | 1.46 |
| 1966 | 0.71 | 1.37 |
| 1965 | 0.74 | 1.4 |
| 1964 | – | 1 |
| 1963 | – | 1.17 |
| 1962 | – | 1.05 |
| 1961 | – | 1.12 |
| 1960 | – | 1.16 |
| 1959 | – | 1.27 |
| 1958 | – | 1.24 |
| 1957 | – | 1.3 |
| 1956 | – | 1.27 |
| 1955 | – | 1.31 |
- Estimate
- Highly uncertain
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, as a share of its economy, 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