Ranked: The Biggest Arms Exporters in 2025
See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. accounts for 42% of global arms exports in 2025, over four times France’s 10% share in second place.
- Israel and South Korea are among the fastest-growing exporters, rapidly climbing the global rankings.
One country towers over the global arms trade in 2025: the United States. With a 42% share of global exports, it ships more arms than the next four exporters combined.
This visualization ranks the biggest arms-exporting countries in 2025 by share of global exports, highlighting both America’s lead and the rise of newer defense suppliers like Israel and South Korea. The data for this visualization comes from the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database.
U.S. Dominance Remains Unchallenged
The United States leads global arms exports by a wide margin, with a gap over the second-ranked country that no other exporter comes close to matching.
| Rank | Country | % of Global Arms Exports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States |
42.0% |
| 2 |  France |
10.0% |
| 3 |  Israel |
7.8% |
| 4 |  South Korea |
6.0% |
| 5 |  Russia |
5.8% |
| 6 |  Italy |
5.7% |
| 7 |  Germany |
5.1% |
| 8 |  China |
2.6% |
| 9 |  United Kingdom |
2.1% |
| 10 |  Netherlands |
1.8% |
| 11 |  Turkiye |
1.6% |
| 12 |  Norway |
1.2% |
| 13 |  Spain |
1.0% |
| 14 |  Canada |
0.9% |
| 15 |  Sweden |
0.7% |
| 16 |  Denmark |
0.5% |
| 17 |  Brazil |
0.5% |
| 18 |  Czechia |
0.4% |
| 19 |  Romania |
0.4% |
| 20 |  Switzerland |
0.4% |
| 21 |  Pakistan |
0.4% |
| 22 |  Ukraine |
0.4% |
| 23 |  South Africa |
0.3% |
| 24 |  Finland |
0.3% |
| 25 |  Australia |
0.3% |
| 26 |  Belgium |
0.3% |
| 27 |  India |
0.2% |
| 28 |  Iran |
0.2% |
| 29 |  Singapore |
0.2% |
| 30 |  Poland |
0.2% |
| 31 |  North Korea |
0.1% |
| 32 |  Kyrgyzstan |
0.1% |
| 33 |  United Arab Emirates |
0.1% |
| 34 |  Japan |
0.1% |
| 35 |  Ireland |
0.1% |
The U.S. has six of the top 10 arms exporting companies by revenue.
U.S. exports span advanced fighter jets, missile systems, and defense technologies supplied to allies worldwide. Even at this scale, America’s share of exports still grew 2.4% year-over-year in 2025.
Rising Exporters Gain Ground
Several countries are rapidly expanding their presence in the global arms market. France ranks second with a 10% share and saw its export share surge by 36%, fueled by strong demand for its Rafale fighter jets and naval systems.
Israel and South Korea stand out even more, with export share growth of 126% and 83%, respectively. These countries are becoming key suppliers of advanced technologies, including drones, missile systems, and artillery.
Traditional Powers Face Declines
At the same time, several established exporters are losing ground. Russia, once a dominant supplier, now holds just 5.8% of global exports and saw its share shrink by 2.7%. Ongoing geopolitical challenges and shifting alliances have impacted its export capacity.
European exporters like Germany and the United Kingdom also recorded declines, with export shares falling 20% and 21%, respectively. Meanwhile, China’s share dropped sharply by 32%.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Global Nuclear Warhead Stockpiles (1945-2024) on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
