Saudi Arabia vs United Kingdom: Military spending
Military spending in 2025: 6.48% of GDP in Saudi Arabia and 2.35% of GDP in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 4.13 percentage points, or 2.75 times that in United Kingdom.
Saudi ArabiaUnited Kingdom
Watch it change on the map% of GDP · SIPRI
Latest figures
% of GDP · SIPRI
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 6.48 2025 | 12.57 | 5 of 151 |
| United Kingdom | 2.35 2025 | 2.04 | 41 of 151 |
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher since 1965, when it overtook United Kingdom.
- In 2025, Saudi Arabia ranked 5 and United Kingdom ranked 41 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of GDP · SIPRI
| Year | Saudi Arabia | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6.48 | 2.35 |
| 2024 | 6.41 | 2.44 |
| 2023 | 6.38 | 2.15 |
| 2022 | 5.72 | 2.01 |
| 2021 | 6.43 | 2.04 |
| 2020 | 8.41 | 2.14 |
| 2019 | 7.35 | 1.97 |
| 2018 | 8.42 | 1.93 |
| 2017 | 9.5 | 1.94 |
| 2016 | 9.24 | 1.97 |
| 2015 | 12.57 | 2.04 |
| 2014 | 10.26 | 2.17 |
| 2013 | 8.71 | 2.28 |
| 2012 | 7.51 | 2.41 |
| 2011 | 7.13 | 2.49 |
| 2010 | 8.57 | 2.56 |
| 2009 | 9.62 | 2.64 |
| 2008 | 7.35 | 2.48 |
| 2007 | 8.53 | 2.37 |
| 2006 | 7.85 | 2.36 |
| 2005 | 7.73 | 2.42 |
| 2004 | 8.08 | 2.48 |
| 2003 | 8.69 | 2.54 |
| 2002 | 9.76 | 2.47 |
| 2001 | 11.42 | 2.39 |
| 2000 | 10.53 | 2.35 |
| 1999 | 11.38 | 2.41 |
| 1998 | 14.31 | 2.48 |
| 1997 | 11 | 2.54 |
| 1996 | 8.47 | 2.71 |
| 1995 | 9.28 | 2.84 |
| 1994 | 10.64 | 3.38 |
| 1993 | 12.47 | 3.59 |
| 1992 | 11.28 | 3.87 |
| 1991 | 12.47 | 4.12 |
| 1990 | 14.02 | 3.98 |
| 1989 | 13.39 | 4.04 |
| 1988 | 15.15 | 4.21 |
| 1987 | 16.9 | 4.69 |
| 1986 | – | 5.06 |
| 1985 | 17 | 5.32 |
| 1984 | 19 | 5.51 |
| 1983 | 16.97 | 5.4 |
| 1982 | 17.72 | 5.38 |
| 1981 | 13.27 | 4.98 |
| 1980 | 12.61 | 5.02 |
| 1979 | 15.77 | 4.68 |
| 1978 | 16.74 | 4.73 |
| 1977 | 15.65 | 4.92 |
| 1976 | – | 5.18 |
| 1975 | – | 5.34 |
| 1974 | – | 5.07 |
| 1973 | 10.84 | 4.91 |
| 1972 | 10.08 | 5.17 |
| 1971 | 8.64 | 5.08 |
| 1970 | 9.4 | 5.2 |
| 1969 | 9.57 | 5.5 |
| 1968 | 8.09 | 5.94 |
| 1967 | 11.51 | 6.24 |
| 1966 | 11.32 | 6.25 |
| 1965 | 7.69 | 6.44 |
| 1964 | 5.97 | 6.6 |
| 1963 | 5.9 | 6.8 |
| 1962 | – | 6.94 |
| 1961 | – | 6.92 |
| 1960 | – | 7.09 |
| 1959 | – | 7.29 |
| 1958 | – | 7.63 |
| 1957 | – | 7.99 |
| 1956 | – | 8.56 |
| 1955 | – | 9.09 |
| 1954 | – | 10.06 |
| 1953 | – | 10.96 |
| 1952 | – | 10.37 |
| 1951 | – | 8.3 |
| 1950 | – | 7.21 |
- 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