Iran vs South Korea
Iran vs South Korea: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $7.45B in Iran and $48.9B in South Korea, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Korea, by $41.4B, or 6.56 times that in Iran.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher since 1978, when it overtook Iran.
- In 2025, Iran ranked 37 and South Korea ranked 11 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Iran | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7.45B | $48.9B |
| 2024 | $7.89B | $47.6B |
| 2023 | $8.83B | $46.8B |
| 2022 | $8.36B | $46.6B |
| 2021 | $7.95B | $47.6B |
| 2020 | $6.54B | $45.6B |
| 2019 | $6.29B | $43.3B |
| 2018 | $7.51B | $40.1B |
| 2017 | $8.46B | $38.1B |
| 2016 | $7.52B | $37.4B |
| 2015 | $6.55B | $36.5B |
| 2014 | $6.16B | $35.2B |
| 2013 | $6.18B | $33.8B |
| 2012 | $7.67B | $32.8B |
| 2011 | $7.36B | $32B |
| 2010 | $8.53B | $31.6B |
| 2009 | $8.39B | $31.3B |
| 2008 | $8.02B | $29.5B |
| 2007 | $8.33B | $27.7B |
| 2006 | $9.06B | $26.5B |
| 2005 | $7.57B | $25.5B |
| 2004 | $6.36B | $23.6B |
| 2003 | $4.92B | $22.6B |
| 2002 | $4.22B | $21.9B |
| 2001 | $3.92B | $21.3B |
| 2000 | $3.52B | $20.7B |
| 1999 | $3.2B | $19.5B |
| 1998 | $3.16B | $20B |
| 1997 | $3.16B | $20.8B |
| 1996 | $2.83B | $20.3B |
| 1995 | $2.57B | $20B |
| 1994 | $2.62B | $18.3B |
| 1993 | $2.12B | $17.8B |
| 1992 | $1.81B | $17B |
| 1991 | $2.09B | $16B |
| 1990 | $2.32B | $15.6B |
| 1989 | $2.61B | $15B |
| 1988 | $3.53B | $14.1B |
| 1987 | $3.81B | $13.3B |
| 1986 | $4.16B | $13B |
| 1985 | $5.19B | $12B |
| 1984 | $4.97B | $11.1B |
| 1983 | $5.7B | $10.9B |
| 1982 | $6.08B | $10.4B |
| 1981 | $5.66B | $10B |
| 1980 | $3.8B | $9.66B |
| 1979 | $4.69B | $8.82B |
| 1978 | $8.42B | $9.39B |
| 1977 | $8.85B | $7.54B |
| 1976 | $10.6B | $6.34B |
| 1975 | $9.37B | $4.41B |
| 1974 | $6.89B | $3.82B |
| 1973 | $994M | $2.99B |
| 1972 | $929M | $2.97B |
| 1971 | $1.07B | $2.54B |
| 1970 | $1.72B | $2.16B |
| 1969 | $1.59B | $2.09B |
| 1968 | $1.28B | $1.81B |
| 1967 | $972M | $1.54B |
| 1966 | $764M | $1.38B |
| 1965 | $594M | $767M |
| 1964 | $472M | $730M |
| 1963 | $406M | $771M |
| 1962 | $348M | $933M |
| 1961 | $338M | $804M |
| 1960 | $324M | $771M |
| 1959 | – | $796M |
| 1958 | – | $750M |
| 1957 | – | $635M |
| 1956 | – | $739M |
| 1955 | – | $516M |
| 1954 | – | $465M |
| 1953 | – | $185M |
- Estimate
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.
- 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
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 per personIran: $80 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingIran: 11.2% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending 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