France vs United Kingdom
France vs United Kingdom: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 3.5% of government spending in France and 5.4% of government spending in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by 1.9 percentage points, or 1.54 times that in France.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1988.
- In 2025, France ranked 117 and United Kingdom ranked 69 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | France | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.5 | 5.4 |
| 2024 | 3.5 | 5.6 |
| 2023 | 3.4 | 4.9 |
| 2022 | 3.4 | 4.7 |
| 2021 | 3.3 | 4.5 |
| 2020 | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| 2019 | 3.3 | 5.1 |
| 2018 | 3.3 | 5 |
| 2017 | 3.2 | 5 |
| 2016 | 3.2 | 5 |
| 2015 | 3.2 | 5.1 |
| 2014 | 3.2 | 5.3 |
| 2013 | 3.2 | 5.5 |
| 2012 | 3.2 | 5.6 |
| 2011 | 3.3 | 5.7 |
| 2010 | 3.4 | 5.8 |
| 2009 | 3.6 | 5.9 |
| 2008 | 3.5 | 6.1 |
| 2007 | 3.6 | 6.2 |
| 2006 | 3.7 | 6.2 |
| 2005 | 3.7 | 6.3 |
| 2004 | 3.9 | 6.5 |
| 2003 | 3.9 | 6.8 |
| 2002 | 3.8 | 6.9 |
| 2001 | 3.9 | 6.9 |
| 2000 | 4 | 7 |
| 1999 | 4.1 | 7.1 |
| 1998 | 4.2 | 7.2 |
| 1997 | 4.3 | 7.3 |
| 1996 | 4.4 | 7.6 |
| 1995 | 4.5 | 7.6 |
| 1994 | 4.8 | 8.3 |
| 1993 | 4.8 | 8.7 |
| 1992 | 5.1 | 9.4 |
| 1991 | 5.4 | 10.5 |
| 1990 | 5.5 | 10.4 |
| 1989 | 5.7 | 11 |
| 1988 | 5.8 | 11.3 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The part of everything the government spends that goes on its armed forces and defence, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Ranks count the 150 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
France vs United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancyFrance: 83.3 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityFrance: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityFrance: 3.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterFrance: 99.7% in 2022United Kingdom: 99.8% in 2022
- DepressionFrance: 4.25% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateFrance: 12.4 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationFrance: 66.4 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthFrance: 0.17% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateFrance: 1.64 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationFrance: 78.8% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageFrance: 41.8 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overFrance: 21.8% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateFrance: 1.4 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingFrance: 2.03% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsFrance: $64.5B in 2025United Kingdom: $88B in 2025
- Military spending per personFrance: $1,021 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelFrance: 304,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerFrance: 1.09% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersFrance: 1% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsFrance: 236 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsFrance: 3.37 billion TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025