Iran vs South Korea
Iran vs South Korea: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 11.2% of government spending in Iran and 10.8% of government spending in South Korea, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Iran, by 0.4 percentage points, or 1.03 times that in South Korea.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Iran has been higher since 2004, when it overtook South Korea.
- In 2025, Iran ranked 22 and South Korea ranked 24 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | Iran | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11.2 | 10.8 |
| 2024 | 11.9 | 11.3 |
| 2023 | 14.9 | 11.2 |
| 2022 | 14 | 9.7 |
| 2021 | 14.1 | 10.9 |
| 2020 | 14.5 | 11.2 |
| 2019 | 14.6 | 11.9 |
| 2018 | 14.6 | 12.3 |
| 2017 | 16.1 | 12.3 |
| 2016 | 15.4 | 12.6 |
| 2015 | 15.6 | 12.6 |
| 2014 | 14.8 | 12.8 |
| 2013 | 15.6 | 12.6 |
| 2012 | 19.3 | 12.7 |
| 2011 | 13 | 13 |
| 2010 | 16 | 13.2 |
| 2009 | 15.7 | 12.8 |
| 2008 | 13 | 12.5 |
| 2007 | 15.3 | 12.1 |
| 2006 | 14.3 | 12.3 |
| 2005 | 13.6 | 12.6 |
| 2004 | 14.9 | 11.7 |
| 2003 | 12.1 | 12.2 |
| 2002 | 11.1 | 13.7 |
| 2001 | 14.6 | 13.5 |
| 2000 | 14 | 14.4 |
| 1999 | 12.6 | 14.5 |
| 1998 | 12.9 | 16.4 |
| 1997 | 11.9 | 18.2 |
| 1996 | 10.7 | 18.5 |
| 1995 | 8.5 | 20.3 |
| 1994 | 7.6 | – |
| 1993 | 5.1 | – |
| 1992 | 9.9 | – |
| 1991 | 12.5 | – |
| 1990 | 14.5 | – |
- Estimate
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.
- 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 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
Iran vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyIran: 77.7 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIran: 1.1 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIran: 9.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterIran: 94.2% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionIran: 5.12% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateIran: 5.4 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIran: 90.6 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthIran: 1.12% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIran: 1.7 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIran: 77.4% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageIran: 32.9 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIran: 7.9% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateIran: 2.9 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIran: 2.09% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsIran: $7.45B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personIran: $80 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelIran: 650,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerIran: 1.64% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIran: 2.35% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIran: 42 million TIV in 2024South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIran: 80 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025