China vs Saudi Arabia: Military spending gmsd
China
349.48 billion
in 2023
Saudi Arabia
88.35 billion
in 2023
China rank
2nd
Saudi Arabia rank
5th
Military spending gmsd over time
- China
- Saudi Arabia
How they compare
China currently reports 349.48 billion against 88.35 billion in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 261.13 billion.
That makes China's figure about 4.0 times Saudi Arabia's.
The two have swapped places 8 times across 92 shared years of data; in 1932 it was China ahead.
China ranks 2nd and Saudi Arabia ranks 5th of 172 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 10 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Saudi Arabia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 2.61 billion | 121.42 million | 2.49 billion | China |
| 1940s | 5.57 billion | 206.98 million | 5.36 billion | China |
| 1950s | 32.61 billion | 635.05 million | 31.98 billion | China |
| 1960s | 67.03 billion | 1.31 billion | 65.71 billion | China |
| 1970s | 106.43 billion | 18.69 billion | 87.74 billion | China |
| 1980s | 49.87 billion | 43.69 billion | 6.18 billion | China |
| 1990s | 42.09 billion | 32.75 billion | 9.34 billion | China |
| 2000s | 75.87 billion | 37.59 billion | 38.27 billion | China |
| 2010s | 171.12 billion | 78.03 billion | 93.09 billion | China |
| 2020s | 322.23 billion | 83.93 billion | 238.29 billion | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher military spending gmsd, China or Saudi Arabia?
- China, at 349.48 billion against 88.35 billion in Saudi Arabia as of 2023.
- What is the difference in military spending gmsd between China and Saudi Arabia?
- 261.13 billion, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Saudi Arabia?
- 92 years are reported by both, from 1932 to 2023.
- How do China and Saudi Arabia rank globally for military spending gmsd?
- China ranks 2nd and Saudi Arabia ranks 5th of 172 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Military spending gmsd. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.