Iran vs United Arab Emirates

Iran vs United Arab Emirates: Military spending in US dollars

Military spending in US dollars: $7.45B in Iran in 2025 and $27.8B in United Arab Emirates in 2014, by SIPRI estimates. In 2014 the value was higher in United Arab Emirates, by $21.7B, or 4.52 times that in Iran.

US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI

Iran vs United Arab Emirates: Military spending in US dollarsMilitary spending in US dollars: $7.45B in Iran in 2025 and $27.8B in United Arab Emirates in 2014, by SIPRI estimates. In 2014 the value was higher in United Arab Emirates, by $21.7B, or 4.52 times that in Iran.
IranUnited Arab EmiratesSIPRI estimate

What the numbers say

  • United Arab Emirates has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1997.

Every year

US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI

YearIranUnited Arab Emirates
2025$7.45B–
2024$7.89B–
2023$8.83B–
2022$8.36B–
2021$7.95B–
2020$6.54B–
2019$6.29B–
2018$7.51B–
2017$8.46B–
2016$7.52B–
2015$6.55B–
2014$6.16B$27.8B
2013$6.18B$29.5B
2012$7.67B$24.1B
2011$7.36B$24.4B
2010$8.53B$22.5B
2009$8.39B$17.9B
2008$8.02B$15.2B
2007$8.33B$12.5B
2006$9.06B$11.8B
2005$7.57B$11.9B
2004$6.36B$13B
2003$4.92B$11.7B
2002$4.22B$11.1B
2001$3.92B$12.3B
2000$3.52B$12.8B
1999$3.2B$9.37B
1998$3.16B$9.06B
1997$3.16B$7.68B
1996$2.83B–
1995$2.57B–
1994$2.62B–
1993$2.12B–
1992$1.81B–
1991$2.09B–
1990$2.32B–
1989$2.61B–
1988$3.53B–
1987$3.81B–
1986$4.16B–
1985$5.19B–
1984$4.97B–
1983$5.7B–
1982$6.08B–
1981$5.66B–
1980$3.8B–
1979$4.69B–
1978$8.42B–
1977$8.85B–
1976$10.6B–
1975$9.37B–
1974$6.89B–
1973$994M–
1972$929M–
1971$1.07B–
1970$1.72B–
1969$1.59B–
1968$1.28B–
1967$972M–
1966$764M–
1965$594M–
1964$472M–
1963$406M–
1962$348M–
1961$338M–
1960$324M–
  • 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 United Arab Emirates

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