What is the difference in military spending, per unit of gdp between China and Italy?

0.0006 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, with Italy ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for China and Italy?

37 years are reported by both, from 1989 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

Statizoid (derived), published as Military spending, per unit of GDP. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

China vs Italy: Military spending, per unit of GDP

China

0.0172 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP

in 2025

Italy

0.0178 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP

in 2025

China rank

77th

Italy rank

75th

Military spending, per unit of GDP over time

China
Italy

How they compare

Italy currently reports 0.0178 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP against 0.0172 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in China, a difference of 0.0006 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 37 shared years of data; in 1989 it was China ahead.

China ranks 77th and Italy ranks 75th of 160 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, China averaged higher in 4 and Italy in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade	China	Italy	Difference	Ahead
1980s	0.0571 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	0.036 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0212 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	China
1990s	0.0448 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0264 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0184 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	China
2000s	0.0315 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0224 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0092 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	China
2010s	0.0178 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0143 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0035 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	China
2020s	0.016 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	0.017 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	0.001 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP	Italy

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher military spending, per unit of gdp, China or Italy?: Italy, at 0.0178 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP against 0.0172 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in China as of 2025.
What is the difference in military spending, per unit of gdp between China and Italy?: 0.0006 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, with Italy ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Italy?: 37 years are reported by both, from 1989 to 2025.
How do China and Italy rank globally for military spending, per unit of gdp?: China ranks 77th and Italy ranks 75th of 160 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Statizoid (derived), published as Military spending, per unit of GDP. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs Italy: Military spending, per unit of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 21 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/military-spending-per-unit-of-gdp/china/italy/

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About this data

Indicator: Military spending, per unit of GDP
Unit: constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP
Source: Statizoid (derived)
Licence: Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage: 160 places, 7,842 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed: 15 September 2026

Military spending divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.