Military spending in Taiwan
Taiwan: Military spending was 19.60 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
19.60 billion constant 2022 US$
Change on year
up 10.2%
World rank
20th
of 172 countries
All-time high
19.93 billion constant 2022 US$
in 1996
All-time low
551.98 million constant 2022 US$
in 1954
Years of data
75
1949–2023
Military spending in Taiwan, 1949–2023
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
Taiwan recorded 19.60 billion constant 2022 US$ for military spending in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.2% on the previous year and up 66.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Taiwan peaked at 19.93 billion constant 2022 US$ in 1996 and was at its lowest, 551.98 million constant 2022 US$, in 1954.
That places Taiwan 20th out of 172 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in Taiwan, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 660.37 million constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1950 | 749.12 million constant 2022 US$ | +13.4% |
| 1951 | 776.46 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.7% |
| 1952 | 840.38 million constant 2022 US$ | +8.2% |
| 1953 | 912.68 million constant 2022 US$ | +8.6% |
| 1954 | 551.98 million constant 2022 US$ | -39.5% |
| 1955 | 1.01 billion constant 2022 US$ | +83.8% |
| 1956 | 1.07 billion constant 2022 US$ | +5.5% |
| 1957 | 1.12 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.9% |
| 1958 | 1.77 billion constant 2022 US$ | +57.9% |
| 1959 | 1.55 billion constant 2022 US$ | -12.9% |
| 1960 | 1.43 billion constant 2022 US$ | -7.4% |
| 1961 | 1.27 billion constant 2022 US$ | -11.5% |
| 1962 | 1.20 billion constant 2022 US$ | -5.1% |
| 1963 | 1.11 billion constant 2022 US$ | -7.8% |
| 1964 | 1.11 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 1.25 billion constant 2022 US$ | +12.8% |
| 1966 | 1.44 billion constant 2022 US$ | +15.4% |
| 1967 | 1.76 billion constant 2022 US$ | +22.5% |
| 1968 | 2.19 billion constant 2022 US$ | +24.1% |
| 1969 | 2.54 billion constant 2022 US$ | +16.1% |
| 1970 | 3.01 billion constant 2022 US$ | +18.4% |
| 1971 | 3.55 billion constant 2022 US$ | +18.0% |
| 1972 | 3.65 billion constant 2022 US$ | +3.1% |
| 1973 | 3.80 billion constant 2022 US$ | +3.9% |
| 1974 | 3.92 billion constant 2022 US$ | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 4.20 billion constant 2022 US$ | +7.3% |
| 1976 | 4.84 billion constant 2022 US$ | +15.2% |
| 1977 | 5.52 billion constant 2022 US$ | +13.9% |
| 1978 | 6.34 billion constant 2022 US$ | +14.9% |
| 1979 | 8.19 billion constant 2022 US$ | +29.2% |
| 1980 | 8.68 billion constant 2022 US$ | +5.9% |
| 1981 | 8.35 billion constant 2022 US$ | -3.8% |
| 1982 | 8.70 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.3% |
| 1983 | 9.29 billion constant 2022 US$ | +6.8% |
| 1984 | 10.08 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.4% |
| 1985 | 10.91 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.2% |
| 1986 | 11.87 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.9% |
| 1987 | 11.83 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 13.63 billion constant 2022 US$ | +15.2% |
| 1989 | 14.87 billion constant 2022 US$ | +9.1% |
| 1990 | 15.32 billion constant 2022 US$ | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 15.93 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 17.53 billion constant 2022 US$ | +10.0% |
| 1993 | 18.97 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.2% |
| 1994 | 19.80 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 19.34 billion constant 2022 US$ | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 19.93 billion constant 2022 US$ | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 19.32 billion constant 2022 US$ | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 19.37 billion constant 2022 US$ | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 18.13 billion constant 2022 US$ | -6.4% |
| 2000 | 17.11 billion constant 2022 US$ | -5.6% |
| 2001 | 14.32 billion constant 2022 US$ | -16.4% |
| 2002 | 12.06 billion constant 2022 US$ | -15.8% |
| 2003 | 10.11 billion constant 2022 US$ | -16.2% |
| 2004 | 10.81 billion constant 2022 US$ | +6.9% |
| 2005 | 10.62 billion constant 2022 US$ | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 10.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 11.28 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 11.74 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.1% |
| 2009 | 11.11 billion constant 2022 US$ | -5.4% |
| 2010 | 11.25 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 11.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | +5.1% |
| 2012 | 12.06 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 11.78 billion constant 2022 US$ | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 11.22 billion constant 2022 US$ | -4.8% |
| 2015 | 11.83 billion constant 2022 US$ | +5.5% |
| 2016 | 11.66 billion constant 2022 US$ | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 12.52 billion constant 2022 US$ | +7.4% |
| 2018 | 13.99 billion constant 2022 US$ | +11.8% |
| 2019 | 14.35 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 15.70 billion constant 2022 US$ | +9.4% |
| 2021 | 16.40 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 17.80 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.5% |
| 2023 | 19.60 billion constant 2022 US$ | +10.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in Taiwan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | +83.8% | 551.98 million constant 2022 US$ | 1.01 billion constant 2022 US$ |
| 1958 | +57.9% | 1.12 billion constant 2022 US$ | 1.77 billion constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 660.37 million constant 2022 US$ | 660.37 million constant 2022 US$ | 660.37 million constant 2022 US$ | 1 |
| 1950s | 1.04 billion constant 2022 US$ | 551.98 million constant 2022 US$ | 1.77 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.53 billion constant 2022 US$ | 1.11 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.54 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.70 billion constant 2022 US$ | 3.01 billion constant 2022 US$ | 8.19 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | 8.35 billion constant 2022 US$ | 14.87 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.37 billion constant 2022 US$ | 15.32 billion constant 2022 US$ | 19.93 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.00 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10.11 billion constant 2022 US$ | 17.11 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.25 billion constant 2022 US$ | 11.22 billion constant 2022 US$ | 14.35 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.38 billion constant 2022 US$ | 15.70 billion constant 2022 US$ | 19.60 billion constant 2022 US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Taiwan
- 17 Poland 26.65 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 18 Spain 26.09 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 19 United Arab Emirates 24.89 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 21 Netherlands 18.59 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 22 Turkey 17.27 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 23 Algeria 16.20 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
More reference data data for Taiwan
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3236 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Manure Management 46.04 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Manure left on 360.08 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4506 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 8.76 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.84 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Agricultural 2,013 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Crop Residues 85.74 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending in Taiwan?
- Military spending in Taiwan was 19.60 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 Taiwan?
- The highest recorded value was 19.93 billion constant 2022 US$ in 1996.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Taiwan?
- The lowest recorded value was 551.98 million constant 2022 US$ in 1954.
- How does Taiwan rank for military spending?
- Taiwan ranks 20th out of 172 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Taiwan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 66.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Taiwan 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 — 75 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.