Ethiopia vs Ghana: Military spending

Military spending in 2025: 0.49% of GDP in Ethiopia and 0.48% of GDP in Ghana, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Ethiopia, by 0.02 percentage points, or 1.04 times that in Ghana.

Watch it change on the map

% of GDP · SIPRI

EthiopiaGhanaSIPRI estimateHighly uncertain

What the numbers say

Ethiopia has been higher since 1971, when it overtook Ghana.
In 2025, Ethiopia ranked 140 and Ghana ranked 141 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.

Every year

% of GDP · SIPRI

Year	Ethiopia	Ghana
2025	0.49	0.48
2024	0.49	0.35
2023	0.77	0.4
2022	0.86	0.34
2021	0.44	0.38
2020	0.47	0.35
2019	0.56	0.34
2018	0.63	0.33
2017	0.68	0.31
2016	0.68	0.29
2015	0.67	0.39
2014	0.73	0.49
2013	0.81	0.4
2012	0.87	0.59
2011	1.06	0.44
2010	1.11	0.28
2009	1.21	0.34
2008	1.53	0.29
2007	1.91	0.37
2006	2.31	0.26
2005	2.81	0.26
2004	3.13	0.28
2003	3.3	0.3
2002	3.76	0.26
2001	4.39	0.26
2000	7.69	0.44
1999	9.51	0.33
1998	7.28	0.33
1997	3.34	0.29
1996	2.12	0.29
1995	2.23	0.34
1994	2.87	0.43
1993	3.07	0.42
1992	3.44	0.38
1991	5.71	0.37
1990	9.66	0.28
1989	10.28	0.43
1988	8.5	0.44
1987	6.86	0.89
1986	6.7	0.9
1985	6.82	1
1984	7.97	0.59
1983	7.18	0.34
1982	7.54	0.54
1981	7.54	0.74
1980	8.71	0.77
1979	6.89	0.65
1978	4.81	0.85
1977	3.97	1.25
1976	4.13	1.57
1975	4.49	1.72
1974	2.8	1.58
1973	1.93	1.37
1972	1.94	1.43
1971	1.91	1.7
1970	1.88	2.12
1969	2.02	2.5
1968	2.2	2.66
1967	2.49	–
1966	3.11	2.23
1965	3.23	1.73
1964	2.92	1.92
1963	2.43	2.02
1962	1.93	2
1961	1.86	2.1
1960	–	1.71
1959	–	1.03
1958	–	1

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

Ethiopia vs Ghana: Military spending

What the numbers say

Every year

Each country on its own

Good to know

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