Ireland vs United Kingdom
Ireland vs United Kingdom: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $1.46B in Ireland and $88B in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by $86.5B, or 60 times that in Ireland.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1958.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Ireland | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.46B | $88B |
| 2024 | $1.33B | $89.8B |
| 2023 | $1.3B | $78.2B |
| 2022 | $1.3B | $73.2B |
| 2021 | $1.36B | $72.1B |
| 2020 | $1.3B | $71B |
| 2019 | $1.28B | $69.9B |
| 2018 | $1.22B | $67.1B |
| 2017 | $1.2B | $66.6B |
| 2016 | $1.19B | $66.4B |
| 2015 | $1.18B | $66.7B |
| 2014 | $1.18B | $69.3B |
| 2013 | $1.18B | $70.6B |
| 2012 | $1.19B | $73.3B |
| 2011 | $1.26B | $75.4B |
| 2010 | $1.33B | $78B |
| 2009 | $1.39B | $79.3B |
| 2008 | $1.41B | $78.1B |
| 2007 | $1.36B | $74.8B |
| 2006 | $1.35B | $72.8B |
| 2005 | $1.36B | $72.5B |
| 2004 | $1.34B | $71.8B |
| 2003 | $1.32B | $71B |
| 2002 | $1.38B | $66.2B |
| 2001 | $1.44B | $62.5B |
| 2000 | $1.33B | $60.1B |
| 1999 | $1.29B | $59B |
| 1998 | $1.25B | $59.3B |
| 1997 | $1.24B | $59.1B |
| 1996 | $1.17B | $61.3B |
| 1995 | $1.11B | $61.8B |
| 1994 | $1.1B | $65.9B |
| 1993 | $1.08B | $67.8B |
| 1992 | $1.07B | $71B |
| 1991 | $1.08B | $76.1B |
| 1990 | $1.03B | $75.2B |
| 1989 | $908M | $75.1B |
| 1988 | $918M | $74.4B |
| 1987 | $923M | $77.2B |
| 1986 | $988M | $78B |
| 1985 | $962M | $79B |
| 1984 | $933M | $78.3B |
| 1983 | $964M | $74.6B |
| 1982 | $1.03B | $71.4B |
| 1981 | $1.02B | $65.5B |
| 1980 | $1.06B | $66.8B |
| 1979 | $1.01B | $62.7B |
| 1978 | $913M | $60.8B |
| 1977 | $853M | $58.9B |
| 1976 | $838M | $61.6B |
| 1975 | $811M | $62.5B |
| 1974 | $668M | $59.5B |
| 1973 | $659M | $59.5B |
| 1972 | $616M | $59.3B |
| 1971 | $519M | $55.7B |
| 1970 | $460M | $55.9B |
| 1969 | $407M | $54.2B |
| 1968 | $390M | $57.4B |
| 1967 | $379M | $58.2B |
| 1966 | $372M | $56.8B |
| 1965 | $391M | $57.1B |
| 1964 | $379M | $56.9B |
| 1963 | $339M | $55.4B |
| 1962 | $335M | $54.5B |
| 1961 | $330M | $53.8B |
| 1960 | $318M | $53.8B |
| 1959 | $299M | $52.7B |
| 1958 | $285M | $53B |
| 1957 | – | $54.4B |
| 1956 | – | $56.4B |
| 1955 | – | $57.4B |
| 1954 | – | $60.3B |
| 1953 | – | $63.5B |
| 1952 | – | $57.2B |
| 1951 | – | $44.7B |
| 1950 | – | $38B |
- 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
Ireland vs United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancyIreland: 82.4 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIreland: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIreland: 2.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterIreland: 96% in 2022United Kingdom: 99.8% in 2022
- DepressionIreland: 4.25% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateIreland: 8.4 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIreland: 5.2 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthIreland: 1.19% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIreland: 1.6 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIreland: 64.6% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageIreland: 38.4 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIreland: 15.5% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateIreland: 8.4 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIreland: 0.22% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personIreland: $272 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingIreland: 0.9% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelIreland: 9,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerIreland: 0.05% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIreland: 0.37% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIreland: 14 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIreland: 24 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025