United Kingdom vs United States
United Kingdom vs United States: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 5.4% of government spending in United Kingdom and 8.3% of government spending in United States, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United States, by 2.8 percentage points, or 1.51 times that in United Kingdom.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United States has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2001.
- In 2025, United Kingdom ranked 69 and United States ranked 34 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | United Kingdom | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.4 | 8.3 |
| 2024 | 5.6 | 9 |
| 2023 | 4.9 | 8.7 |
| 2022 | 4.7 | 9 |
| 2021 | 4.5 | 7.9 |
| 2020 | 4.3 | 8.2 |
| 2019 | 5.1 | 9.5 |
| 2018 | 5 | 9.3 |
| 2017 | 5 | 9.4 |
| 2016 | 5 | 9.6 |
| 2015 | 5.1 | 9.9 |
| 2014 | 5.3 | 10.4 |
| 2013 | 5.5 | 11.2 |
| 2012 | 5.6 | 12 |
| 2011 | 5.7 | 12.4 |
| 2010 | 5.8 | 12.3 |
| 2009 | 5.9 | 11.8 |
| 2008 | 6.1 | 12 |
| 2007 | 6.2 | 11.8 |
| 2006 | 6.2 | 12 |
| 2005 | 6.3 | 12.1 |
| 2004 | 6.5 | 12 |
| 2003 | 6.8 | 11.3 |
| 2002 | 6.9 | 10.3 |
| 2001 | 6.9 | 9.6 |
| 2000 | 7 | – |
| 1999 | 7.1 | – |
| 1998 | 7.2 | – |
| 1997 | 7.3 | – |
| 1996 | 7.6 | – |
| 1995 | 7.6 | – |
| 1994 | 8.3 | – |
| 1993 | 8.7 | – |
| 1992 | 9.4 | – |
| 1991 | 10.5 | – |
| 1990 | 10.4 | – |
| 1989 | 11 | – |
| 1988 | 11.3 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The part of everything the government spends that goes on its armed forces and defence, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Ranks count the 150 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
United Kingdom vs United States
Health
- Life expectancyUnited Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023United States: 79.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityUnited Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024United States: 0.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityUnited Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023United States: 5.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterUnited Kingdom: 99.8% in 2022United States: 97.5% in 2022
- DepressionUnited Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017United States: 4.84% in 2017
- Suicide rateUnited Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017United States: 12.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationUnited Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023United States: 344 million people in 2023
- Population growthUnited Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023United States: 0.58% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateUnited Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023United States: 1.62 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationUnited Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025United States: 80.2% in 2025
- Median ageUnited Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023United States: 38 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overUnited Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023United States: 17.4% in 2023
- Net migration rateUnited Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023United States: 3.9 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personUnited Kingdom: $48,420 in 2025United States: $67,950 in 2025
- GDP growthUnited Kingdom: 1.2% a year in 2025United States: 2.3% a year in 2025
- InflationUnited Kingdom: 3.4% a year in 2025United States: 2.7% a year in 2025
- Government debtUnited Kingdom: 102.1% of GDP in 2025United States: 124.4% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingUnited Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025United States: 3.12% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsUnited Kingdom: $88B in 2025United States: $929B in 2025
- Military spending per personUnited Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025United States: $2,755 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelUnited Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020United States: 1.4 million people in 2020
- National powerUnited Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022United States: 12.36% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersUnited Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020United States: 0.84% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsUnited Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025United States: 745 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsUnited Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025United States: 14 billion TIV in 2025