Italy vs Saudi Arabia: Military spending
Military spending in 2025: 1.89% of GDP in Italy and 6.48% of GDP in Saudi Arabia, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 4.59 percentage points, or 3.43 times that in Italy.
ItalySaudi Arabia
Watch it change on the map% of GDP · SIPRI
Latest figures
% of GDP · SIPRI
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 1.89 2025 | 1.18 | 68 of 151 |
| Saudi Arabia | 6.48 2025 | 12.57 | 5 of 151 |
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1963.
- In 2025, Italy ranked 68 and Saudi Arabia ranked 5 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of GDP · SIPRI
| Year | Italy | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.89 | 6.48 |
| 2024 | 1.59 | 6.41 |
| 2023 | 1.53 | 6.38 |
| 2022 | 1.6 | 5.72 |
| 2021 | 1.61 | 6.43 |
| 2020 | 1.66 | 8.41 |
| 2019 | 1.25 | 7.35 |
| 2018 | 1.32 | 8.42 |
| 2017 | 1.29 | 9.5 |
| 2016 | 1.3 | 9.24 |
| 2015 | 1.18 | 12.57 |
| 2014 | 1.25 | 10.26 |
| 2013 | 1.39 | 8.71 |
| 2012 | 1.42 | 7.51 |
| 2011 | 1.47 | 7.13 |
| 2010 | 1.49 | 8.57 |
| 2009 | 1.55 | 9.62 |
| 2008 | 1.53 | 7.35 |
| 2007 | 1.44 | 8.53 |
| 2006 | 1.51 | 7.85 |
| 2005 | 1.6 | 7.73 |
| 2004 | 1.67 | 8.08 |
| 2003 | 1.7 | 8.69 |
| 2002 | 1.69 | 9.76 |
| 2001 | 1.67 | 11.42 |
| 2000 | 1.73 | 10.53 |
| 1999 | 1.68 | 11.38 |
| 1998 | 1.64 | 14.31 |
| 1997 | 1.62 | 11 |
| 1996 | 1.58 | 8.47 |
| 1995 | 1.46 | 9.28 |
| 1994 | 1.71 | 10.64 |
| 1993 | 1.79 | 12.47 |
| 1992 | 1.75 | 11.28 |
| 1991 | 1.86 | 12.47 |
| 1990 | 1.88 | 14.02 |
| 1989 | 2.03 | 13.39 |
| 1988 | 2.07 | 15.15 |
| 1987 | 2.06 | 16.9 |
| 1986 | 1.98 | – |
| 1985 | 1.94 | 17 |
| 1984 | 2.01 | 19 |
| 1983 | 2.02 | 16.97 |
| 1982 | 2.01 | 17.72 |
| 1981 | 1.82 | 13.27 |
| 1980 | 1.76 | 12.61 |
| 1979 | 1.87 | 15.77 |
| 1978 | 1.88 | 16.74 |
| 1977 | 1.89 | 15.65 |
| 1976 | 1.83 | – |
| 1975 | 1.98 | – |
| 1974 | 2.07 | – |
| 1973 | 2.2 | 10.84 |
| 1972 | 2.39 | 10.08 |
| 1971 | 2.24 | 8.64 |
| 1970 | 2.06 | 9.4 |
| 1969 | 2.42 | 9.57 |
| 1968 | 2.65 | 8.09 |
| 1967 | 2.77 | 11.51 |
| 1966 | 2.99 | 11.32 |
| 1965 | 2.75 | 7.69 |
| 1964 | 2.73 | 5.97 |
| 1963 | 2.75 | 5.9 |
| 1962 | 2.63 | – |
| 1961 | 2.57 | – |
| 1960 | 2.71 | – |
| 1959 | 2.95 | – |
| 1958 | 3.04 | – |
| 1957 | 3.09 | – |
| 1956 | 3.17 | – |
| 1955 | 3.25 | – |
| 1954 | 3.53 | – |
| 1953 | 3.33 | – |
| 1952 | 3.99 | – |
| 1951 | 3.78 | – |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, as a share of its economy, 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