Iran vs North Korea: Military spending, annual growth rate

Iran
9.2 % change on previous year
in 2023
North Korea
9.69 % change on previous year
in 2018
Iran rank
47th
North Korea rank
45th

Military spending, annual growth rate over time

  • Iran
  • North Korea
0200400600185619392023

How they compare

North Korea currently reports 9.69 % change on previous year against 9.2 % change on previous year in Iran, a difference of 0.49 % change on previous year.

That makes North Korea's figure about 1.1 times Iran's.

The two have swapped places 23 times across 70 shared years of data; in 1949 it was Iran ahead.

Iran ranks 47th and North Korea ranks 45th of 172 countries.

Across the 8 decades both report, Iran averaged higher in 6 and North Korea in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Iran North Korea Difference Ahead
1940s 23.07 % change on previous year 13 % change on previous year 10.07 % change on previous year Iran
1950s 8.53 % change on previous year 29.25 % change on previous year 20.72 % change on previous year North Korea
1960s 16.16 % change on previous year 6.85 % change on previous year 9.3 % change on previous year Iran
1970s 18.31 % change on previous year 1.04 % change on previous year 17.27 % change on previous year Iran
1980s -0.9901 % change on previous year 9.4 % change on previous year 10.39 % change on previous year North Korea
1990s -2.11 % change on previous year -8.26 % change on previous year 6.15 % change on previous year Iran
2000s 5.02 % change on previous year -0.8577 % change on previous year 5.87 % change on previous year Iran
2010s 5.19 % change on previous year -6.75 % change on previous year 11.94 % change on previous year Iran

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher military spending, annual growth rate, Iran or North Korea?
North Korea, at 9.69 % change on previous year against 9.2 % change on previous year in Iran as of 2018.
What is the difference in military spending, annual growth rate between Iran and North Korea?
0.49 % change on previous year, with North Korea ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and North Korea?
70 years are reported by both, from 1949 to 2018.
How do Iran and North Korea rank globally for military spending, annual growth rate?
Iran ranks 47th and North Korea ranks 45th of 172 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Statizoid (derived), published as Military spending, annual growth rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Iran vs North Korea: Military spending, annual growth rate. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/military-spending-annual-growth-rate-2/iran-islamic-rep/korea-dem-people-s-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Military spending, annual growth rate
Unit
% change on previous year
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
172 places, 15,188 data points, 1817–2023
Last refreshed

The year-on-year percentage change in Military spending. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.