Saudi Arabia vs United Kingdom
Saudi Arabia vs United Kingdom: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $81.5B in Saudi Arabia and $88B in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by $6.51B, or 1.08 times that in Saudi Arabia.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher since 2024, when it overtook Saudi Arabia.
- In 2025, Saudi Arabia ranked 7 and United Kingdom ranked 6 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Saudi Arabia | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $81.5B | $88B |
| 2024 | $80.3B | $89.8B |
| 2023 | $79.1B | $78.2B |
| 2022 | $73.8B | $73.2B |
| 2021 | $67.4B | $72.1B |
| 2020 | $71B | $71B |
| 2019 | $74.3B | $69.9B |
| 2018 | $83.8B | $67.1B |
| 2017 | $81B | $66.6B |
| 2016 | $72.6B | $66.4B |
| 2015 | $102B | $66.7B |
| 2014 | $95.2B | $69.3B |
| 2013 | $80.7B | $70.6B |
| 2012 | $70.5B | $73.3B |
| 2011 | $62.3B | $75.4B |
| 2010 | $61.4B | $78B |
| 2009 | $59B | $79.3B |
| 2008 | $57.4B | $78.1B |
| 2007 | $58.5B | $74.8B |
| 2006 | $50.8B | $72.8B |
| 2005 | $44.6B | $72.5B |
| 2004 | $36.9B | $71.8B |
| 2003 | $33.3B | $71B |
| 2002 | $33B | $66.2B |
| 2001 | $37.6B | $62.5B |
| 2000 | $35.3B | $60.1B |
| 1999 | $32.1B | $59B |
| 1998 | $36B | $59.3B |
| 1997 | $31.2B | $59.1B |
| 1996 | $23B | $61.3B |
| 1995 | $23B | $61.8B |
| 1994 | $26.1B | $65.9B |
| 1993 | $30.2B | $67.8B |
| 1992 | $28.5B | $71B |
| 1991 | $30.4B | $76.1B |
| 1990 | $31.8B | $75.2B |
| 1989 | $25.3B | $75.1B |
| 1988 | $26.8B | $74.4B |
| 1987 | $29.3B | $77.2B |
| 1986 | – | $78B |
| 1985 | $32.9B | $79B |
| 1984 | $39.9B | $78.3B |
| 1983 | $37.1B | $74.6B |
| 1982 | $45.7B | $71.4B |
| 1981 | $41B | $65.5B |
| 1980 | $35.2B | $66.8B |
| 1979 | $31.5B | $62.7B |
| 1978 | $24.5B | $60.8B |
| 1977 | $21.6B | $58.9B |
| 1976 | – | $61.6B |
| 1975 | – | $62.5B |
| 1974 | – | $59.5B |
| 1973 | $7.36B | $59.5B |
| 1972 | $5.7B | $59.3B |
| 1971 | $4.06B | $55.7B |
| 1970 | $3.42B | $55.9B |
| 1969 | $3.12B | $54.2B |
| 1968 | $2.55B | $57.4B |
| 1967 | $2.57B | $58.2B |
| 1966 | $2.34B | $56.8B |
| 1965 | $1.41B | $57.1B |
| 1964 | $982M | $56.9B |
| 1963 | $929M | $55.4B |
| 1962 | – | $54.5B |
| 1961 | – | $53.8B |
| 1960 | – | $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 |
- 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
Saudi Arabia vs United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancySaudi Arabia: 78.7 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySaudi Arabia: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySaudi Arabia: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSaudi Arabia: 3.54% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateSaudi Arabia: 2.9 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSaudi Arabia: 33.3 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthSaudi Arabia: 2.39% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSaudi Arabia: 2.28 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSaudi Arabia: 84.6% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageSaudi Arabia: 29.3 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSaudi Arabia: 2.8% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateSaudi Arabia: 9.8 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSaudi Arabia: $25,070 in 2025United Kingdom: $48,420 in 2025
- GDP growthSaudi Arabia: 4.6% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 1.2% a year in 2025
- InflationSaudi Arabia: 2% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 3.4% a year in 2025
- Government debtSaudi Arabia: 31.8% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 102.1% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSaudi Arabia: 6.48% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personSaudi Arabia: $2,428 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSaudi Arabia: 23.5% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSaudi Arabia: 282,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerSaudi Arabia: 1.34% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSaudi Arabia: 1.92% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSaudi Arabia: 3.04 billion TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSaudi Arabia: 3 million TIV in 2023United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025