Sweden vs United Kingdom
Sweden vs United Kingdom: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $15B in Sweden and $88B in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by $73B, or 5.88 times that in Sweden.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1960.
- In 2025, Sweden ranked 26 and United Kingdom ranked 6 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Sweden | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $15B | $88B |
| 2024 | $12.1B | $89.8B |
| 2023 | $9.07B | $78.2B |
| 2022 | $8.25B | $73.2B |
| 2021 | $7.44B | $72.1B |
| 2020 | $6.75B | $71B |
| 2019 | $6.49B | $69.9B |
| 2018 | $5.96B | $67.1B |
| 2017 | $5.77B | $66.6B |
| 2016 | $5.77B | $66.4B |
| 2015 | $5.7B | $66.7B |
| 2014 | $5.64B | $69.3B |
| 2013 | $5.32B | $70.6B |
| 2012 | $5.29B | $73.3B |
| 2011 | $5.18B | $75.4B |
| 2010 | $5.51B | $78B |
| 2009 | $5.09B | $79.3B |
| 2008 | $5.19B | $78.1B |
| 2007 | $5.84B | $74.8B |
| 2006 | $5.69B | $72.8B |
| 2005 | $5.78B | $72.5B |
| 2004 | $5.7B | $71.8B |
| 2003 | $6.06B | $71B |
| 2002 | $6.11B | $66.2B |
| 2001 | $6.27B | $62.5B |
| 2000 | $6.61B | $60.1B |
| 1999 | $6.47B | $59B |
| 1998 | $6.23B | $59.3B |
| 1997 | $6.05B | $59.1B |
| 1996 | $6.38B | $61.3B |
| 1995 | $6.3B | $61.8B |
| 1994 | $6.28B | $65.9B |
| 1993 | $6.3B | $67.8B |
| 1992 | $6.32B | $71B |
| 1991 | $6.5B | $76.1B |
| 1990 | $6.9B | $75.2B |
| 1989 | $6.77B | $75.1B |
| 1988 | $6.7B | $74.4B |
| 1987 | $6.66B | $77.2B |
| 1986 | $6.24B | $78B |
| 1985 | $6.14B | $79B |
| 1984 | $6.05B | $78.3B |
| 1983 | $5.97B | $74.6B |
| 1982 | $6.04B | $71.4B |
| 1981 | $6.19B | $65.5B |
| 1980 | $6.3B | $66.8B |
| 1979 | $6.45B | $62.7B |
| 1978 | $6.21B | $60.8B |
| 1977 | $6.04B | $58.9B |
| 1976 | $5.99B | $61.6B |
| 1975 | $6B | $62.5B |
| 1974 | $5.85B | $59.5B |
| 1973 | $5.8B | $59.5B |
| 1972 | $5.78B | $59.3B |
| 1971 | $5.61B | $55.7B |
| 1970 | $5.49B | $55.9B |
| 1969 | $5.34B | $54.2B |
| 1968 | $5.07B | $57.4B |
| 1967 | $5.07B | $58.2B |
| 1966 | $5.2B | $56.8B |
| 1965 | $5.15B | $57.1B |
| 1964 | $4.86B | $56.9B |
| 1963 | $4.62B | $55.4B |
| 1962 | $4.33B | $54.5B |
| 1961 | $4.03B | $53.8B |
| 1960 | $3.84B | $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
Sweden vs United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancySweden: 83.3 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySweden: 0.2 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySweden: 1.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSweden: 99.7% in 2022United Kingdom: 99.8% in 2022
- DepressionSweden: 4.49% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateSweden: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSweden: 10.6 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthSweden: 0.56% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSweden: 1.43 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSweden: 89.1% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageSweden: 39.9 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSweden: 20.5% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateSweden: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSweden: 2.47% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personSweden: $1,549 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSweden: 5% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSweden: 15,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerSweden: 0.19% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSweden: 0.27% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSweden: 146 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSweden: 235 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025