Military spending, annual growth rate in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Military spending, annual growth rate was -2.04 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-2.04 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 113.7%
World rank
128th
of 159 countries
All-time high
27.92 % change on previous year
in 1952
All-time low
-6.6 % change on previous year
in 1992
Years of data
75
1951–2025
Military spending, annual growth rate in United Kingdom, 1951–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
In 2025, military spending, annual growth rate in United Kingdom stood at -2.04 % change on previous year.
That represents a change of down 113.7% on the previous year and up 47.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, annual growth rate in United Kingdom peaked at 27.92 % change on previous year in 1952 and was at its lowest, -6.6 % change on previous year, in 1992.
That places United Kingdom 128th out of 159 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending, annual growth rate in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 17.74 % change on previous year | — |
| 1952 | 27.92 % change on previous year | +57.4% |
| 1953 | 11.1 % change on previous year | -60.2% |
| 1954 | -5.06 % change on previous year | -145.6% |
| 1955 | -4.79 % change on previous year | -5.5% |
| 1956 | -1.85 % change on previous year | -61.3% |
| 1957 | -3.44 % change on previous year | +85.7% |
| 1958 | -2.62 % change on previous year | -23.7% |
| 1959 | -0.5057 % change on previous year | -80.7% |
| 1960 | 2.07 % change on previous year | -508.9% |
| 1961 | -0.0968 % change on previous year | -104.7% |
| 1962 | 1.28 % change on previous year | -1426.4% |
| 1963 | 1.71 % change on previous year | +33.0% |
| 1964 | 2.71 % change on previous year | +58.6% |
| 1965 | 0.2995 % change on previous year | -88.9% |
| 1966 | -0.5337 % change on previous year | -278.2% |
| 1967 | 2.56 % change on previous year | -578.9% |
| 1968 | -1.42 % change on previous year | -155.7% |
| 1969 | -5.5 % change on previous year | +286.0% |
| 1970 | 3 % change on previous year | -154.6% |
| 1971 | -0.2239 % change on previous year | -107.5% |
| 1972 | 6.37 % change on previous year | -2944.0% |
| 1973 | 0.3319 % change on previous year | -94.8% |
| 1974 | 0.0272 % change on previous year | -91.8% |
| 1975 | 5.06 % change on previous year | +18481.3% |
| 1976 | -1.47 % change on previous year | -129.0% |
| 1977 | -4.36 % change on previous year | +197.8% |
| 1978 | 3.18 % change on previous year | -172.8% |
| 1979 | 3.13 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 1980 | 6.63 % change on previous year | +112.2% |
| 1981 | -2.05 % change on previous year | -130.8% |
| 1982 | 9.02 % change on previous year | -541.2% |
| 1983 | 4.45 % change on previous year | -50.7% |
| 1984 | 4.96 % change on previous year | +11.5% |
| 1985 | 0.9395 % change on previous year | -81.1% |
| 1986 | -1.24 % change on previous year | -231.4% |
| 1987 | -1.09 % change on previous year | -11.7% |
| 1988 | -3.54 % change on previous year | +224.9% |
| 1989 | 0.8803 % change on previous year | -124.9% |
| 1990 | 0.1425 % change on previous year | -83.8% |
| 1991 | 1.16 % change on previous year | +710.5% |
| 1992 | -6.6 % change on previous year | -671.1% |
| 1993 | -4.57 % change on previous year | -30.8% |
| 1994 | -2.75 % change on previous year | -39.8% |
| 1995 | -6.21 % change on previous year | +125.6% |
| 1996 | -0.956 % change on previous year | -84.6% |
| 1997 | -3.55 % change on previous year | +271.4% |
| 1998 | 0.3267 % change on previous year | -109.2% |
| 1999 | -0.5329 % change on previous year | -263.1% |
| 2000 | 2.01 % change on previous year | -477.8% |
| 2001 | 3.96 % change on previous year | +96.7% |
| 2002 | 5.94 % change on previous year | +50.1% |
| 2003 | 7.12 % change on previous year | +19.8% |
| 2004 | 1.24 % change on previous year | -82.6% |
| 2005 | 0.935 % change on previous year | -24.7% |
| 2006 | 0.4587 % change on previous year | -50.9% |
| 2007 | 2.72 % change on previous year | +493.5% |
| 2008 | 4.38 % change on previous year | +60.8% |
| 2009 | 1.6 % change on previous year | -63.4% |
| 2010 | -1.68 % change on previous year | -204.9% |
| 2011 | -3.38 % change on previous year | +101.1% |
| 2012 | -2.78 % change on previous year | -17.9% |
| 2013 | -3.66 % change on previous year | +31.7% |
| 2014 | -1.79 % change on previous year | -51.1% |
| 2015 | -3.84 % change on previous year | +115.0% |
| 2016 | -0.3487 % change on previous year | -90.9% |
| 2017 | 0.1827 % change on previous year | -152.4% |
| 2018 | 0.7527 % change on previous year | +311.9% |
| 2019 | 4.15 % change on previous year | +451.9% |
| 2020 | 1.59 % change on previous year | -61.8% |
| 2021 | 1.54 % change on previous year | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 1.58 % change on previous year | +2.7% |
| 2023 | 6.8 % change on previous year | +330.5% |
| 2024 | 14.9 % change on previous year | +119.1% |
| 2025 | -2.04 % change on previous year | -113.7% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's -2.04 % change on previous year is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.35 % change on previous year. (52 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's -2.04 % change on previous year is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.12 % change on previous year. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending, annual growth rate in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +18481.3% | 0.0272 % change on previous year | 5.06 % change on previous year |
| 1972 | +2944.0% | -0.2239 % change on previous year | 6.37 % change on previous year |
| 1962 | +1426.4% | -0.0968 % change on previous year | 1.28 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 4.28 % change on previous year | -5.06 % change on previous year | 27.92 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1960s | 0.3069 % change on previous year | -5.5 % change on previous year | 2.71 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.5 % change on previous year | -4.36 % change on previous year | 6.37 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.9 % change on previous year | -3.54 % change on previous year | 9.02 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | -2.35 % change on previous year | -6.6 % change on previous year | 1.16 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.04 % change on previous year | 0.4587 % change on previous year | 7.12 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.24 % change on previous year | -3.84 % change on previous year | 4.15 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.06 % change on previous year | -2.04 % change on previous year | 14.9 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 125 Equatorial Guinea -1.78 % change on previous year compare
- 126 Zambia -1.79 % change on previous year compare
- 127 Paraguay -1.95 % change on previous year compare
- 129 Bangladesh -2.2 % change on previous year compare
- 130 Hungary -2.36 % change on previous year compare
- 131 New Zealand -3.61 % change on previous year compare
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending, annual growth rate in United Kingdom?
- Military spending, annual growth rate in United Kingdom was -2.04 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, annual growth rate recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 27.92 % change on previous year in 1952.
- What is the lowest military spending, annual growth rate recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was -6.6 % change on previous year in 1992.
- How does United Kingdom rank for military spending, annual growth rate?
- United Kingdom ranks 128th out of 159 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending, annual growth rate rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military spending, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Military spending. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Military spending Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Military spending. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.