Military spending as a share of government spending in Switzerland
Switzerland: Military spending as a share of government spending was 2.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Military spending as a share of government spending in Switzerland, 1988–2025
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of government spending.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 2.4% for military spending as a share of government spending in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.9% on the previous year and up 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of government spending in Switzerland peaked at 5.5% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 2021.
Switzerland ranks 143rd of 162 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.
Military spending as a share of government spending in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % of government spending | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 5.4% | — |
| 1989 | 5.3% | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 5.5% | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 5.1% | -8.2% |
| 1992 | 4.7% | -6.7% |
| 1993 | 4.1% | -13.5% |
| 1994 | 4.0% | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 4.1% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 3.8% | -6.8% |
| 1997 | 3.6% | -4.7% |
| 1998 | 3.5% | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 3.2% | -9.8% |
| 2000 | 3.1% | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 3.1% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 2.7% | -10.4% |
| 2003 | 2.7% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 2.6% | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 2.6% | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 2.5% | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 2.4% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 2.4% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 2.3% | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 2.2% | -5.1% |
| 2011 | 2.2% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 2.1% | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | -9.9% |
| 2015 | 2.0% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 2.0% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 2.1% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 2.1% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 2.1% | -4.0% |
| 2021 | 2.0% | -6.4% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | +10.5% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 2.2% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 2.4% | +7.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5.4% | 5.3% | 5.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 4.2% | 3.2% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.6% | 2.3% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.2% | 2.0% | 2.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 140 Ghana 2.4% compare
- 141 East Timor 2.4% compare
- 142 Haiti 2.4% compare
- 144 Cape Verde 2.3% compare
- 145 Brazil 2.2% compare
- 146 South Africa 2.2% compare
More reference data data for Switzerland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5507 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2683 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.272 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending as a share of government spending in Switzerland?
- Military spending as a share of government spending in Switzerland was 2.4% in 2025, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending as a share of government spending recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 5.5% in 1990.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of government spending recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 2021.
- How does Switzerland rank for military spending as a share of government spending?
- Switzerland ranks 143rd out of 162 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending as a share of government spending rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending as a share of government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total military expenditure divided by government spending.