Iran vs United Kingdom
Iran vs United Kingdom: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $7.45B in Iran and $88B in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by $80.5B, or 12 times that in Iran.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1960.
- In 2025, Iran ranked 37 and United Kingdom ranked 6 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Iran | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7.45B | $88B |
| 2024 | $7.89B | $89.8B |
| 2023 | $8.83B | $78.2B |
| 2022 | $8.36B | $73.2B |
| 2021 | $7.95B | $72.1B |
| 2020 | $6.54B | $71B |
| 2019 | $6.29B | $69.9B |
| 2018 | $7.51B | $67.1B |
| 2017 | $8.46B | $66.6B |
| 2016 | $7.52B | $66.4B |
| 2015 | $6.55B | $66.7B |
| 2014 | $6.16B | $69.3B |
| 2013 | $6.18B | $70.6B |
| 2012 | $7.67B | $73.3B |
| 2011 | $7.36B | $75.4B |
| 2010 | $8.53B | $78B |
| 2009 | $8.39B | $79.3B |
| 2008 | $8.02B | $78.1B |
| 2007 | $8.33B | $74.8B |
| 2006 | $9.06B | $72.8B |
| 2005 | $7.57B | $72.5B |
| 2004 | $6.36B | $71.8B |
| 2003 | $4.92B | $71B |
| 2002 | $4.22B | $66.2B |
| 2001 | $3.92B | $62.5B |
| 2000 | $3.52B | $60.1B |
| 1999 | $3.2B | $59B |
| 1998 | $3.16B | $59.3B |
| 1997 | $3.16B | $59.1B |
| 1996 | $2.83B | $61.3B |
| 1995 | $2.57B | $61.8B |
| 1994 | $2.62B | $65.9B |
| 1993 | $2.12B | $67.8B |
| 1992 | $1.81B | $71B |
| 1991 | $2.09B | $76.1B |
| 1990 | $2.32B | $75.2B |
| 1989 | $2.61B | $75.1B |
| 1988 | $3.53B | $74.4B |
| 1987 | $3.81B | $77.2B |
| 1986 | $4.16B | $78B |
| 1985 | $5.19B | $79B |
| 1984 | $4.97B | $78.3B |
| 1983 | $5.7B | $74.6B |
| 1982 | $6.08B | $71.4B |
| 1981 | $5.66B | $65.5B |
| 1980 | $3.8B | $66.8B |
| 1979 | $4.69B | $62.7B |
| 1978 | $8.42B | $60.8B |
| 1977 | $8.85B | $58.9B |
| 1976 | $10.6B | $61.6B |
| 1975 | $9.37B | $62.5B |
| 1974 | $6.89B | $59.5B |
| 1973 | $994M | $59.5B |
| 1972 | $929M | $59.3B |
| 1971 | $1.07B | $55.7B |
| 1970 | $1.72B | $55.9B |
| 1969 | $1.59B | $54.2B |
| 1968 | $1.28B | $57.4B |
| 1967 | $972M | $58.2B |
| 1966 | $764M | $56.8B |
| 1965 | $594M | $57.1B |
| 1964 | $472M | $56.9B |
| 1963 | $406M | $55.4B |
| 1962 | $348M | $54.5B |
| 1961 | $338M | $53.8B |
| 1960 | $324M | $53.8B |
| 1959 | – | $52.7B |
| 1958 | – | $53B |
| 1957 | – | $54.4B |
| 1956 | – | $56.4B |
| 1955 | – | $57.4B |
| 1954 | – | $60.3B |
| 1953 | – | $63.5B |
| 1952 | – | $57.2B |
| 1951 | – | $44.7B |
| 1950 | – | $38B |
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
Iran vs United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancyIran: 77.7 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIran: 1.1 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIran: 9.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterIran: 94.2% in 2022United Kingdom: 99.8% in 2022
- DepressionIran: 5.12% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateIran: 5.4 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIran: 90.6 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthIran: 1.12% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIran: 1.7 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIran: 77.4% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageIran: 32.9 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIran: 7.9% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateIran: 2.9 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIran: 2.09% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personIran: $80 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingIran: 11.2% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelIran: 650,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerIran: 1.64% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIran: 2.35% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIran: 42 million TIV in 2024United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIran: 80 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025