Military spending in Myanmar
Myanmar: Military spending was 3.30 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
3.30 billion constant 2022 US$
Change on year
up 3.9%
World rank
61st
of 172 countries
All-time high
9.88 billion constant 2022 US$
in 2005
All-time low
146.52 million constant 2022 US$
in 1948
Years of data
76
1948–2023
Military spending in Myanmar, 1948–2023
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending in Myanmar is 3.30 billion constant 2022 US$, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 21.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Myanmar peaked at 9.88 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2005 and was at its lowest, 146.52 million constant 2022 US$, in 1948.
That places Myanmar 61st out of 172 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in Myanmar, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 146.52 million constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1949 | 355.95 million constant 2022 US$ | +142.9% |
| 1950 | 246.41 million constant 2022 US$ | -30.8% |
| 1951 | 317.12 million constant 2022 US$ | +28.7% |
| 1952 | 428.83 million constant 2022 US$ | +35.2% |
| 1953 | 575.31 million constant 2022 US$ | +34.2% |
| 1954 | 638.82 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.0% |
| 1955 | 599.33 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.2% |
| 1956 | 663.89 million constant 2022 US$ | +10.8% |
| 1957 | 675.69 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.8% |
| 1958 | 712.43 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.4% |
| 1959 | 637.82 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.5% |
| 1960 | 625.17 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.0% |
| 1961 | 618.75 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.0% |
| 1962 | 689.21 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.4% |
| 1963 | 705.29 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 704.49 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 752.74 million constant 2022 US$ | +6.8% |
| 1966 | 733.02 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.6% |
| 1967 | 611.91 million constant 2022 US$ | -16.5% |
| 1968 | 650.81 million constant 2022 US$ | +6.4% |
| 1969 | 636.92 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.1% |
| 1970 | 654.07 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 679.19 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 650.95 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.2% |
| 1973 | 680.76 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.6% |
| 1974 | 503.22 million constant 2022 US$ | -26.1% |
| 1975 | 506.79 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 497.56 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.8% |
| 1977 | 507.95 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 510.85 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 525.89 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 520.34 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 536.09 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 547.79 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 686.89 million constant 2022 US$ | +25.4% |
| 1984 | 774.01 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.7% |
| 1985 | 898.91 million constant 2022 US$ | +16.1% |
| 1986 | 824.44 million constant 2022 US$ | -8.3% |
| 1987 | 760.68 million constant 2022 US$ | -7.7% |
| 1988 | 975.56 million constant 2022 US$ | +28.2% |
| 1989 | 1.10 billion constant 2022 US$ | +13.2% |
| 1990 | 1.52 billion constant 2022 US$ | +37.9% |
| 1991 | 1.61 billion constant 2022 US$ | +5.4% |
| 1992 | 1.65 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 2.78 billion constant 2022 US$ | +68.6% |
| 1994 | 3.01 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.5% |
| 1995 | 2.88 billion constant 2022 US$ | -4.5% |
| 1996 | 2.55 billion constant 2022 US$ | -11.5% |
| 1997 | 3.44 billion constant 2022 US$ | +35.3% |
| 1998 | 3.74 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.5% |
| 1999 | 3.72 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 3.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 4.60 billion constant 2022 US$ | +20.4% |
| 2002 | 8.05 billion constant 2022 US$ | +74.9% |
| 2003 | 9.30 billion constant 2022 US$ | +15.6% |
| 2004 | 9.55 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 9.88 billion constant 2022 US$ | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 9.15 billion constant 2022 US$ | -7.4% |
| 2007 | 8.31 billion constant 2022 US$ | -9.2% |
| 2008 | 5.62 billion constant 2022 US$ | -32.3% |
| 2009 | 3.92 billion constant 2022 US$ | -30.3% |
| 2010 | 2.55 billion constant 2022 US$ | -35.0% |
| 2011 | 2.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | +10.6% |
| 2012 | 2.69 billion constant 2022 US$ | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 2.73 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 2.80 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 2.65 billion constant 2022 US$ | -5.3% |
| 2016 | 2.73 billion constant 2022 US$ | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 2.71 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 2.59 billion constant 2022 US$ | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 2.63 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 2.89 billion constant 2022 US$ | +9.9% |
| 2021 | 3.10 billion constant 2022 US$ | +7.2% |
| 2022 | 3.18 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 3.30 billion constant 2022 US$ | +3.9% |
Myanmar compared with similar countries
- Myanmar's 3.30 billion constant 2022 US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 485.52 million constant 2022 US$, 6.8× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Myanmar's 3.30 billion constant 2022 US$ is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.15 billion constant 2022 US$, 80% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in Myanmar changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | +142.9% | 146.52 million constant 2022 US$ | 355.95 million constant 2022 US$ |
| 2002 | +74.9% | 4.60 billion constant 2022 US$ | 8.05 billion constant 2022 US$ |
| 1993 | +68.6% | 1.65 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.78 billion constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 251.24 million constant 2022 US$ | 146.52 million constant 2022 US$ | 355.95 million constant 2022 US$ | 2 |
| 1950s | 549.57 million constant 2022 US$ | 246.41 million constant 2022 US$ | 712.43 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1960s | 672.83 million constant 2022 US$ | 611.91 million constant 2022 US$ | 752.74 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 571.72 million constant 2022 US$ | 497.56 million constant 2022 US$ | 680.76 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 762.92 million constant 2022 US$ | 520.34 million constant 2022 US$ | 1.10 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.69 billion constant 2022 US$ | 1.52 billion constant 2022 US$ | 3.74 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.22 billion constant 2022 US$ | 3.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | 9.88 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.69 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.55 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.12 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.89 billion constant 2022 US$ | 3.30 billion constant 2022 US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Myanmar
- 58 South Africa 3.63 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 59 New Zealand 3.61 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 60 Peru 3.56 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 62 Syria 3.22 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 63 Ecuador 3.12 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 64 Jordan 2.86 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
More reference data data for Myanmar
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.58 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 11.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 11.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 11.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 19.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 25.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 73.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.8 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending in Myanmar?
- Military spending in Myanmar was 3.30 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2023, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in Myanmar?
- The highest recorded value was 9.88 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2005.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Myanmar?
- The lowest recorded value was 146.52 million constant 2022 US$ in 1948.
- How does Myanmar rank for military spending?
- Myanmar ranks 61st out of 172 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Myanmar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Myanmar data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.