Military expenditure as a share of government spending in Taiwan

Taiwan: Military expenditure as a share of government spending was 12.36 in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
12.36
Change on year
up 15.2%
World rank
27th
of 162 countries
All-time high
22.53
in 1988
All-time low
8.24
in 2000
Years of data
38
1988–2025

Military expenditure as a share of government spending in Taiwan, 1988–2025

05101520251988200620251988: 22.51989: 16.21990: 18.41991: 16.51992: 16.11993: 17.21994: 16.41995: 14.81996: 14.81997: 13.81998: 12.11999: 13.82000: 8.22001: 112002: 11.12003: 10.62004: 10.62005: 10.22006: 10.12007: 10.52008: 10.92009: 10.32010: 10.22011: 10.22012: 10.52013: 102014: 10.12015: 10.52016: 10.12017: 10.22018: 9.92019: 10.42020: 9.82021: 10.32022: 11.12023: 11.42024: 10.72025: 12.4

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, military expenditure as a share of government spending in Taiwan stood at 12.36.

The figure is up 15.2% on the previous year and up 17.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, military expenditure as a share of government spending in Taiwan peaked at 22.53 in 1988 and was at its lowest, 8.24, in 2000.

Taiwan ranks 27th of 162 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.

Military expenditure as a share of government spending in Taiwan, year by year

Annual values for Military expenditure as a share of government spending in Taiwan, 1988 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1988 22.53
1989 16.2 -28.1%
1990 18.41 +13.7%
1991 16.48 -10.5%
1992 16.08 -2.4%
1993 17.17 +6.7%
1994 16.45 -4.2%
1995 14.76 -10.3%
1996 14.84 +0.6%
1997 13.78 -7.1%
1998 12.14 -11.9%
1999 13.82 +13.8%
2000 8.24 -40.4%
2001 10.96 +33.0%
2002 11.1 +1.3%
2003 10.62 -4.4%
2004 10.63 +0.1%
2005 10.23 -3.7%
2006 10.15 -0.8%
2007 10.54 +3.9%
2008 10.9 +3.4%
2009 10.35 -5.1%
2010 10.16 -1.8%
2011 10.22 +0.6%
2012 10.52 +2.9%
2013 10.02 -4.8%
2014 10.09 +0.6%
2015 10.55 +4.6%
2016 10.13 -3.9%
2017 10.23 +1.0%
2018 9.93 -3.0%
2019 10.4 +4.7%
2020 9.8 -5.8%
2021 10.32 +5.3%
2022 11.14 +7.9%
2023 11.37 +2.1%
2024 10.74 -5.6%
2025 12.36 +15.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 19.36 16.2 22.53 2
1990s 15.39 12.14 18.41 10
2000s 10.37 8.24 11.1 10
2010s 10.22 9.93 10.55 10
2020s 10.95 9.8 12.36 6

Countries ranked near Taiwan

  1. 24 Jordan 13.53 compare
  2. 25 Burkina Faso 13.21 compare
  3. 26 Central African Republic 12.46 compare
  4. 28 Brunei 12.15 compare
  5. 29 Iran 11.16 compare
  6. 30 Uzbekistan 11.06 compare

See the full ranking of 162 places →

More reference data data for Taiwan

All data for Taiwan →

Frequently asked questions

What is military expenditure as a share of government spending in Taiwan?
Military expenditure as a share of government spending in Taiwan was 12.36 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest military expenditure as a share of government spending recorded in Taiwan?
The highest recorded value was 22.53 in 1988.
What is the lowest military expenditure as a share of government spending recorded in Taiwan?
The lowest recorded value was 8.24 in 2000.
How does Taiwan rank for military expenditure as a share of government spending?
Taiwan ranks 27th out of 162 countries with data for 2025.
Is military expenditure as a share of government spending rising or falling in Taiwan?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Taiwan data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military expenditure as a share of government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Military expenditure as a share of government spending in Taiwan. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/military-expenditure-as-a-share-of-government-spending/taiwan/

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About this data

Indicator
Military expenditure as a share of government spending
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
162 places, 4,946 data points, 1988–2025
Last refreshed