Switzerland vs United Kingdom
Switzerland vs United Kingdom: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $7.15B in Switzerland and $88B in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by $80.8B, or 12 times that in Switzerland.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1957.
- In 2025, Switzerland ranked 38 and United Kingdom ranked 6 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Switzerland | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7.15B | $88B |
| 2024 | $6.54B | $89.8B |
| 2023 | $6.51B | $78.2B |
| 2022 | $6.33B | $73.2B |
| 2021 | $6.04B | $72.1B |
| 2020 | $6.53B | $71B |
| 2019 | $6.01B | $69.9B |
| 2018 | $5.6B | $67.1B |
| 2017 | $5.56B | $66.6B |
| 2016 | $5.52B | $66.4B |
| 2015 | $5.31B | $66.7B |
| 2014 | $5.1B | $69.3B |
| 2013 | $5.63B | $70.6B |
| 2012 | $5.18B | $73.3B |
| 2011 | $5.28B | $75.4B |
| 2010 | $5.14B | $78B |
| 2009 | $5.33B | $79.3B |
| 2008 | $5.33B | $78.1B |
| 2007 | $5.2B | $74.8B |
| 2006 | $5.17B | $72.8B |
| 2005 | $5.43B | $72.5B |
| 2004 | $5.52B | $71.8B |
| 2003 | $5.62B | $71B |
| 2002 | $5.77B | $66.2B |
| 2001 | $6.03B | $62.5B |
| 2000 | $6.18B | $60.1B |
| 1999 | $6.27B | $59B |
| 1998 | $6.77B | $59.3B |
| 1997 | $6.79B | $59.1B |
| 1996 | $7.05B | $61.3B |
| 1995 | $7.45B | $61.8B |
| 1994 | $7.36B | $65.9B |
| 1993 | $7.43B | $67.8B |
| 1992 | $8.36B | $71B |
| 1991 | $8.61B | $76.1B |
| 1990 | $8.92B | $75.2B |
| 1989 | $8.41B | $75.1B |
| 1988 | $8.25B | $74.4B |
| 1987 | $7.9B | $77.2B |
| 1986 | $8.21B | $78B |
| 1985 | $8.66B | $79B |
| 1984 | $7.87B | $78.3B |
| 1983 | $7.79B | $74.6B |
| 1982 | $7.69B | $71.4B |
| 1981 | $7.38B | $65.5B |
| 1980 | $7.39B | $66.8B |
| 1979 | $7.43B | $62.7B |
| 1978 | $7.11B | $60.8B |
| 1977 | $7.1B | $58.9B |
| 1976 | $7.49B | $61.6B |
| 1975 | $6.61B | $62.5B |
| 1974 | $7.01B | $59.5B |
| 1973 | $7.03B | $59.5B |
| 1972 | $7.26B | $59.3B |
| 1971 | $7.12B | $55.7B |
| 1970 | $6.85B | $55.9B |
| 1969 | $6.66B | $54.2B |
| 1968 | $6.24B | $57.4B |
| 1967 | $6.55B | $58.2B |
| 1966 | $6.72B | $56.8B |
| 1965 | $6.39B | $57.1B |
| 1964 | $6.34B | $56.9B |
| 1963 | $5.85B | $55.4B |
| 1962 | $5.62B | $54.5B |
| 1961 | $5.08B | $53.8B |
| 1960 | $4.36B | $53.8B |
| 1959 | $4.66B | $52.7B |
| 1958 | $4.81B | $53B |
| 1957 | $4.51B | $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
Switzerland vs United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancySwitzerland: 84 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySwitzerland: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySwitzerland: 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSwitzerland: 96.7% in 2022United Kingdom: 99.8% in 2022
- DepressionSwitzerland: 3.71% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateSwitzerland: 9.3 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSwitzerland: 8.87 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthSwitzerland: 0.62% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSwitzerland: 1.43 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSwitzerland: 85.7% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageSwitzerland: 42.3 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSwitzerland: 19.6% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateSwitzerland: 5.1 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSwitzerland: $93,330 in 2025United Kingdom: $48,420 in 2025
- GDP growthSwitzerland: 1.6% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 1.2% a year in 2025
- InflationSwitzerland: 0.2% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 3.4% a year in 2025
- Government debtSwitzerland: 40.1% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 102.1% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSwitzerland: 0.76% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personSwitzerland: $849 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSwitzerland: 2.4% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSwitzerland: 20,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerSwitzerland: 0.12% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSwitzerland: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSwitzerland: 33 million TIV in 2023United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSwitzerland: 129 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025