United Kingdom vs United States
United Kingdom vs United States: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $1,283 in United Kingdom and $2,755 in United States, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United States, by $1,472, or 2.15 times that in United Kingdom.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United States has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1988.
- In 2025, United Kingdom ranked 15 and United States ranked 4 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | United Kingdom | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,283 | $2,755 |
| 2024 | $1,303 | $2,917 |
| 2023 | $1,075 | $2,675 |
| 2022 | $943 | $2,527 |
| 2021 | $966 | $2,373 |
| 2020 | $867 | $2,295 |
| 2019 | $845 | $2,183 |
| 2018 | $839 | $2,045 |
| 2017 | $787 | $1,956 |
| 2016 | $812 | $1,953 |
| 2015 | $921 | $1,952 |
| 2014 | $1,037 | $2,014 |
| 2013 | $995 | $2,132 |
| 2012 | $1,027 | $2,298 |
| 2011 | $1,052 | $2,407 |
| 2010 | $1,020 | $2,384 |
| 2009 | $1,028 | $2,303 |
| 2008 | $1,180 | $2,165 |
| 2007 | $1,199 | $1,964 |
| 2006 | $1,056 | $1,879 |
| 2005 | $1,021 | $1,812 |
| 2004 | $1,005 | $1,692 |
| 2003 | $877 | $1,527 |
| 2002 | $745 | $1,325 |
| 2001 | $668 | $1,173 |
| 2000 | $667 | $1,143 |
| 1999 | $694 | $1,074 |
| 1998 | $704 | $1,059 |
| 1997 | $683 | $1,077 |
| 1996 | $662 | $1,068 |
| 1995 | $659 | $1,109 |
| 1994 | $666 | $1,167 |
| 1993 | $659 | $1,213 |
| 1992 | $791 | $1,260 |
| 1991 | $819 | $1,174 |
| 1990 | $760 | $1,291 |
| 1989 | $656 | $1,290 |
| 1988 | $674 | $1,252 |
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.
- 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
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 share of state spendingUnited Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025United States: 8.3% of government spending 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