Saudi Arabia vs United Kingdom
Saudi Arabia vs United Kingdom: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $2,428 in Saudi Arabia and $1,283 in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by $1,145, or 1.89 times that in United Kingdom.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1988.
- In 2025, Saudi Arabia ranked 6 and United Kingdom ranked 15 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Saudi Arabia | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,428 | $1,283 |
| 2024 | $2,386 | $1,303 |
| 2023 | $2,366 | $1,075 |
| 2022 | $2,253 | $943 |
| 2021 | $2,027 | $966 |
| 2020 | $2,095 | $867 |
| 2019 | $2,169 | $845 |
| 2018 | $2,439 | $839 |
| 2017 | $2,273 | $787 |
| 2016 | $2,090 | $812 |
| 2015 | $2,957 | $921 |
| 2014 | $2,833 | $1,037 |
| 2013 | $2,433 | $995 |
| 2012 | $2,125 | $1,027 |
| 2011 | $1,894 | $1,052 |
| 2010 | $1,833 | $1,020 |
| 2009 | $1,738 | $1,028 |
| 2008 | $1,675 | $1,180 |
| 2007 | $1,619 | $1,199 |
| 2006 | $1,408 | $1,056 |
| 2005 | $1,262 | $1,021 |
| 2004 | $1,088 | $1,005 |
| 2003 | $1,022 | $877 |
| 2002 | $1,059 | $745 |
| 2001 | $1,266 | $668 |
| 2000 | $1,268 | $667 |
| 1999 | $1,206 | $694 |
| 1998 | $1,424 | $704 |
| 1997 | $1,285 | $683 |
| 1996 | $984 | $662 |
| 1995 | $1,014 | $659 |
| 1994 | $1,144 | $666 |
| 1993 | $1,377 | $659 |
| 1992 | $1,345 | $791 |
| 1991 | $1,501 | $819 |
| 1990 | $1,575 | $760 |
| 1989 | $1,291 | $656 |
| 1988 | $1,423 | $674 |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- 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 in US dollarsSaudi Arabia: $81.5B in 2025United Kingdom: $88B 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