Ranked: The World’s Most Militarized Economies
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Key Takeaways
- Ukraine is in a class of its own at nearly 40% of GDP, reflecting the cost of fighting Russia’s full-scale invasion.
- Oil wealth, regional instability, and proximity to Russia are major drivers behind the world’s most militarized economies.
- Poland spent 4.5% of GDP on its military in 2025, one of the highest shares among NATO countries.
Military budgets are often compared in dollar terms, but looking at spending relative to GDP shows which countries are carrying the heaviest defense burden.
This graphic ranks the world’s most militarized economies by military spending as a percentage of GDP in 2025.
The data for this visualization comes from the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database.
Ukraine Stands Alone
Ukraine’s military spending reached 39.6% of GDP in 2025, far above every other country in the dataset. This reflects the extraordinary fiscal pressure of fighting Russia’s full-scale invasion.
At $84 billion, Ukraine’s defense spending is smaller than Russia’s in absolute terms, but vastly larger relative to the size of its economy.
| Rank | Country | Military Spending as a % of GDP | 2025 Military Spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Ukraine |
39.6 | $84B |
| 2 |  Algeria |
8.8 | $25B |
| 3 |  Israel |
7.8 | $48B |
| 4 |  Russia |
7.5 | $190B |
| 5 |  Saudi Arabia |
6.5 | $83B |
| 6 |  Azerbaijan |
6.5 | $4.9B |
| 7 |  Armenia |
6.1 | $1.7B |
| 8 |  Oman |
5.7 | $6.0B |
| 9 |  Kuwait |
4.7 | $8.1B |
| 10 |  Jordan |
4.6 | $2.6B |
| 11 |  Poland |
4.5 | $47B |
| 12 |  Mali |
3.9 | $0.9B |
| 13 |  Latvia |
3.6 | $1.7B |
| 14 |  Morocco |
3.5 | $6.3B |
| 15 |  South Sudan |
3.4 | $0.2B |
| 16 |  Estonia |
3.4 | $1.6B |
| 17 |  Burkina Faso |
3.3 | $0.9B |
| 18 |  Norway |
3.3 | $17B |
| 19 |  Denmark |
3.3 | $15B |
| 20 |  Burundi |
3.2 | $0.2B |
| 21 |  Colombia |
3.2 | $14B |
| 22 |  Chad |
3.2 | $0.7B |
| 23 |  United States of America |
3.1 | $954B |
| 24 |  Bahrain |
3.1 | $1.5B |
| 25 |  Botswana |
3.1 | $0.6B |
It also highlights Ukraine’s reliance on Western military and financial support. Without outside aid, this level of spending would be difficult for Ukraine’s domestic economy to sustain.
Oil Wealth and Regional Tensions Drive High Spending
Several of the most militarized economies are in the Middle East and North Africa. Algeria, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain all spend more than 3% of GDP on their militaries.
Oil wealth helps some of these countries support large defense budgets. Saudi Arabia spent $83 billion in 2025, equal to 6.5% of GDP, while Kuwait and Oman also ranked among the top 10.
Regional security risks are another major factor. Israel’s 7.8% of GDP reflects ongoing conflict and long-standing defense needs, while Algeria’s 8.8% underscores the importance of military power in North Africa.
Eastern Europe’s Defense Burden Is Rising
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has reshaped defense priorities across Europe. Poland spent 4.5% of GDP on its military in 2025, one of the highest shares among NATO countries.
The Baltic states also appear near the top of the ranking. Latvia spent 3.6% of GDP, while Estonia spent 3.4%, reflecting their proximity to Russia and heightened security concerns.
Nordic countries are moving in the same direction. Norway and Denmark both spent 3.3% of GDP, showing how Europe’s defense posture has shifted since 2022.
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