Military spending as a share of government spending in Syria

Syria: Military spending as a share of government spending was 13.6% in 2010. ▼ Falling

Latest (2010)
13.6%
Change on year
down 9.5%
World rank
23rd
of 162 countries
All-time high
30.4%
in 1991
All-time low
13.6%
in 2010
Years of data
21
1990–2010

Military spending as a share of government spending in Syria, 1990–2010

01020301990200020101990: 24.3 % of government spending1991: 30.4 % of government spending1992: 26.3 % of government spending1993: 24.6 % of government spending1994: 24.3 % of government spending1995: 23.4 % of government spending1996: 21.8 % of government spending1997: 20.3 % of government spending1998: 20.1 % of government spending1999: 20.7 % of government spending2000: 19 % of government spending2001: 18.9 % of government spending2002: 17.4 % of government spending2003: 19.1 % of government spending2004: 17.7 % of government spending2005: 17.8 % of government spending2006: 16.5 % of government spending2007: 15.9 % of government spending2008: 15.5 % of government spending2009: 15.1 % of government spending2010: 13.6 % of government spending

Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of government spending.

Analysis

The most recent figure for military spending as a share of government spending in Syria is 13.6%, measured in 2010. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.

The figure is down 9.5% on the previous year and down 28.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, military spending as a share of government spending in Syria peaked at 30.4% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 13.6%, in 2010.

Syria ranks 23rd of 162 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.

Military spending as a share of government spending in Syria, year by year

Annual values for Military spending as a share of government spending in Syria, 1990 to 2010.
Year % of government spending Change
1990 24.3%
1991 30.4% +25.2%
1992 26.3% -13.5%
1993 24.6% -6.5%
1994 24.3% -1.1%
1995 23.4% -4.0%
1996 21.8% -6.6%
1997 20.3% -6.9%
1998 20.1% -0.8%
1999 20.7% +2.9%
2000 19.0% -8.3%
2001 18.9% -0.7%
2002 17.4% -7.9%
2003 19.1% +10.1%
2004 17.7% -7.6%
2005 17.8% +0.8%
2006 16.5% -7.6%
2007 15.9% -3.3%
2008 15.5% -2.9%
2009 15.1% -2.7%
2010 13.6% -9.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 23.6% 20.1% 30.4% 10
2000s 17.3% 15.1% 19.1% 10
2010s 13.6% 13.6% 13.6% 1

Countries ranked near Syria

  1. 20 Mali 14.8% compare
  2. 21 Yemen 14.3% compare
  3. 22 Pakistan 13.8% compare
  4. 24 Jordan 13.5% compare
  5. 25 Burkina Faso 13.2% compare
  6. 26 Central African Republic 12.5% compare

See the full ranking of 162 places →

More reference data data for Syria

All data for Syria →

Frequently asked questions

What is military spending as a share of government spending in Syria?
Military spending as a share of government spending in Syria was 13.6% in 2010, 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 Syria?
The highest recorded value was 30.4% in 1991.
What is the lowest military spending as a share of government spending recorded in Syria?
The lowest recorded value was 13.6% in 2010.
How does Syria rank for military spending as a share of government spending?
Syria ranks 23rd out of 162 countries with data for 2010.
Is military spending as a share of government spending rising or falling in Syria?
Over the last ten years it is down 28.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Syria 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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Military spending as a share of government spending in Syria. Statizoid, drawing on Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/military-expenditure-as-a-share-of-government-spending/syrian-arab-republic/

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About this data

Indicator
Military spending as a share of government spending
Unit
% of government spending
Source
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
162 places, 4,946 data points, 1988–2025
Last refreshed

Total military expenditure divided by government spending.