Switzerland vs United Kingdom
Switzerland vs United Kingdom: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $849 in Switzerland and $1,283 in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by $434, or 1.51 times that in Switzerland.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher since 1996, when it overtook Switzerland.
- In 2025, Switzerland ranked 27 and United Kingdom ranked 15 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Switzerland | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $849 | $1,283 |
| 2024 | $735 | $1,303 |
| 2023 | $714 | $1,075 |
| 2022 | $647 | $943 |
| 2021 | $633 | $966 |
| 2020 | $666 | $867 |
| 2019 | $588 | $845 |
| 2018 | $558 | $839 |
| 2017 | $550 | $787 |
| 2016 | $549 | $812 |
| 2015 | $549 | $921 |
| 2014 | $567 | $1,037 |
| 2013 | $626 | $995 |
| 2012 | $577 | $1,027 |
| 2011 | $632 | $1,052 |
| 2010 | $529 | $1,020 |
| 2009 | $527 | $1,028 |
| 2008 | $540 | $1,180 |
| 2007 | $470 | $1,199 |
| 2006 | $447 | $1,056 |
| 2005 | $470 | $1,021 |
| 2004 | $476 | $1,005 |
| 2003 | $448 | $877 |
| 2002 | $398 | $745 |
| 2001 | $384 | $668 |
| 2000 | $391 | $667 |
| 1999 | $442 | $694 |
| 1998 | $492 | $704 |
| 1997 | $494 | $683 |
| 1996 | $600 | $662 |
| 1995 | $662 | $659 |
| 1994 | $560 | $666 |
| 1993 | $523 | $659 |
| 1992 | $605 | $791 |
| 1991 | $595 | $819 |
| 1990 | $608 | $760 |
| 1989 | $466 | $656 |
| 1988 | $499 | $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
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 in US dollarsSwitzerland: $7.15B in 2025United Kingdom: $88B 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