Sweden vs United Kingdom
Sweden vs United Kingdom: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $1,549 in Sweden and $1,283 in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Sweden, by $266, or 1.21 times that in United Kingdom.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Sweden has been higher since 2025, when it overtook United Kingdom.
- In 2025, Sweden ranked 10 and United Kingdom ranked 15 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Sweden | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,549 | $1,283 |
| 2024 | $1,139 | $1,303 |
| 2023 | $835 | $1,075 |
| 2022 | $739 | $943 |
| 2021 | $731 | $966 |
| 2020 | $607 | $867 |
| 2019 | $571 | $845 |
| 2018 | $567 | $839 |
| 2017 | $554 | $787 |
| 2016 | $551 | $812 |
| 2015 | $553 | $921 |
| 2014 | $680 | $1,037 |
| 2013 | $683 | $995 |
| 2012 | $658 | $1,027 |
| 2011 | $672 | $1,052 |
| 2010 | $630 | $1,020 |
| 2009 | $547 | $1,028 |
| 2008 | $656 | $1,180 |
| 2007 | $701 | $1,199 |
| 2006 | $616 | $1,056 |
| 2005 | $612 | $1,021 |
| 2004 | $614 | $1,005 |
| 2003 | $593 | $877 |
| 2002 | $489 | $745 |
| 2001 | $465 | $668 |
| 2000 | $541 | $667 |
| 1999 | $582 | $694 |
| 1998 | $580 | $704 |
| 1997 | $588 | $683 |
| 1996 | $702 | $662 |
| 1995 | $650 | $659 |
| 1994 | $590 | $666 |
| 1993 | $577 | $659 |
| 1992 | $743 | $791 |
| 1991 | $724 | $819 |
| 1990 | $724 | $760 |
| 1989 | $595 | $656 |
| 1988 | $585 | $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
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 in US dollarsSweden: $15B in 2025United Kingdom: $88B 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