France vs United Kingdom
France vs United Kingdom: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $64.5B in France and $88B in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by $23.5B, or 1.36 times that in France.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
- In 2025, France ranked 9 and United Kingdom ranked 6 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | France | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $64.5B | $88B |
| 2024 | $63.6B | $89.8B |
| 2023 | $60.8B | $78.2B |
| 2022 | $60.2B | $73.2B |
| 2021 | $60.5B | $72.1B |
| 2020 | $58B | $71B |
| 2019 | $56.1B | $69.9B |
| 2018 | $54.7B | $67.1B |
| 2017 | $54.4B | $66.6B |
| 2016 | $53.5B | $66.4B |
| 2015 | $53.4B | $66.7B |
| 2014 | $52B | $69.3B |
| 2013 | $51.1B | $70.6B |
| 2012 | $51.4B | $73.3B |
| 2011 | $52.2B | $75.4B |
| 2010 | $53.8B | $78B |
| 2009 | $56.5B | $79.3B |
| 2008 | $52.6B | $78.1B |
| 2007 | $53B | $74.8B |
| 2006 | $53B | $72.8B |
| 2005 | $52.8B | $72.5B |
| 2004 | $53.9B | $71.8B |
| 2003 | $52.4B | $71B |
| 2002 | $50.9B | $66.2B |
| 2001 | $49.9B | $62.5B |
| 2000 | $50B | $60.1B |
| 1999 | $50.6B | $59B |
| 1998 | $50.2B | $59.3B |
| 1997 | $51.5B | $59.1B |
| 1996 | $51.4B | $61.3B |
| 1995 | $52.6B | $61.8B |
| 1994 | $55.4B | $65.9B |
| 1993 | $55.1B | $67.8B |
| 1992 | $55.7B | $71B |
| 1991 | $57.5B | $76.1B |
| 1990 | $57.1B | $75.2B |
| 1989 | $57.4B | $75.1B |
| 1988 | $56.7B | $74.4B |
| 1987 | $56.7B | $77.2B |
| 1986 | $55.1B | $78B |
| 1985 | $53.5B | $79B |
| 1984 | $53.6B | $78.3B |
| 1983 | $53.9B | $74.6B |
| 1982 | $52.9B | $71.4B |
| 1981 | $51.9B | $65.5B |
| 1980 | $50.7B | $66.8B |
| 1979 | $49.7B | $62.7B |
| 1978 | $48.6B | $60.8B |
| 1977 | $46B | $58.9B |
| 1976 | $43.6B | $61.6B |
| 1975 | $41.8B | $62.5B |
| 1974 | $40B | $59.5B |
| 1973 | $40.1B | $59.5B |
| 1972 | $38.7B | $59.3B |
| 1971 | $37.7B | $55.7B |
| 1970 | $37.2B | $55.9B |
| 1969 | $37B | $54.2B |
| 1968 | $38.7B | $57.4B |
| 1967 | $38.6B | $58.2B |
| 1966 | $36.7B | $56.8B |
| 1965 | $35.7B | $57.1B |
| 1964 | $35.2B | $56.9B |
| 1963 | $34.2B | $55.4B |
| 1962 | $34.8B | $54.5B |
| 1961 | $33.7B | $53.8B |
| 1960 | $32.4B | $53.8B |
| 1959 | $31.6B | $52.7B |
| 1958 | $30.9B | $53B |
| 1957 | $33.5B | $54.4B |
| 1956 | $31.3B | $56.4B |
| 1955 | $24.5B | $57.4B |
| 1954 | $26.3B | $60.3B |
| 1953 | $30.8B | $63.5B |
| 1952 | $27.7B | $57.2B |
| 1951 | $21.8B | $44.7B |
| 1950 | $16.3B | $38B |
| 1949 | $15.1B | – |
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.
- 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
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 per personFrance: $1,021 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingFrance: 3.5% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending 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