Ethiopia vs Kenya: Military spending
Military spending in 2025: 0.49% of GDP in Ethiopia and 1.07% of GDP in Kenya, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Kenya, by 0.57 percentage points, or 2.16 times that in Ethiopia.
EthiopiaKenya
Watch it change on the map% of GDP · SIPRI
Latest figures
% of GDP · SIPRI
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethiopia | 0.49 2025 | 0.67 | 140 of 151 |
| Kenya | 1.07 2025 | 1.2 | 105 of 151 |
What the numbers say
- Kenya has been higher since 2008, when it overtook Ethiopia.
- In 2025, Ethiopia ranked 140 and Kenya ranked 105 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of GDP · SIPRI
| Year | Ethiopia | Kenya |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.49 | 1.07 |
| 2024 | 0.49 | 1.04 |
| 2023 | 0.77 | 0.98 |
| 2022 | 0.86 | 1.01 |
| 2021 | 0.44 | 1.08 |
| 2020 | 0.47 | 1.11 |
| 2019 | 0.56 | 1.11 |
| 2018 | 0.63 | 1.21 |
| 2017 | 0.68 | 1.24 |
| 2016 | 0.68 | 1.25 |
| 2015 | 0.67 | 1.2 |
| 2014 | 0.73 | 1.2 |
| 2013 | 0.81 | 1.4 |
| 2012 | 0.87 | 1.49 |
| 2011 | 1.06 | 1.38 |
| 2010 | 1.11 | 1.37 |
| 2009 | 1.21 | 1.37 |
| 2008 | 1.53 | 1.62 |
| 2007 | 1.91 | 1.55 |
| 2006 | 2.31 | 1.46 |
| 2005 | 2.81 | 1.69 |
| 2004 | 3.13 | 1.61 |
| 2003 | 3.3 | 1.65 |
| 2002 | 3.76 | 1.63 |
| 2001 | 4.39 | 1.51 |
| 2000 | 7.69 | 1.31 |
| 1999 | 9.51 | 1.19 |
| 1998 | 7.28 | 1.22 |
| 1997 | 3.34 | 1.34 |
| 1996 | 2.12 | 1.42 |
| 1995 | 2.23 | 1.65 |
| 1994 | 2.87 | 1.64 |
| 1993 | 3.07 | 1.84 |
| 1992 | 3.44 | 1.9 |
| 1991 | 5.71 | 2.35 |
| 1990 | 9.66 | 2.89 |
| 1989 | 10.28 | 2.74 |
| 1988 | 8.5 | 2.95 |
| 1987 | 6.86 | 3.13 |
| 1986 | 6.7 | 2.5 |
| 1985 | 6.82 | 2.38 |
| 1984 | 7.97 | 3.48 |
| 1983 | 7.18 | 4.2 |
| 1982 | 7.54 | 4.57 |
| 1981 | 7.54 | 4.23 |
| 1980 | 8.71 | 4.52 |
| 1979 | 6.89 | 5.5 |
| 1978 | 4.81 | 5.2 |
| 1977 | 3.97 | 3.74 |
| 1976 | 4.13 | 2.49 |
| 1975 | 4.49 | 1.88 |
| 1974 | 2.8 | 1.78 |
| 1973 | 1.93 | 1.66 |
| 1972 | 1.94 | 1.54 |
| 1971 | 1.91 | 1.23 |
| 1970 | 1.88 | 1.06 |
| 1969 | 2.02 | 1.08 |
| 1968 | 2.2 | 1.22 |
| 1967 | 2.49 | 1.31 |
| 1966 | 3.11 | 1.13 |
| 1965 | 3.23 | 0.99 |
| 1964 | 2.92 | 0.59 |
| 1963 | 2.43 | 0.21 |
| 1962 | 1.93 | – |
| 1961 | 1.86 | – |
- 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