Military spending gmsd in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Military spending gmsd was 84.21 billion in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
84.21 billion
Change on year
up 4.8%
World rank
6th
of 172 countries
All-time high
215.05 billion
in 1944
All-time low
948.38 million
in 1836
Years of data
208
1816–2023

Military spending gmsd in United Kingdom, 1816–2023

050.0B100.0B150.0B200.0B181619192023

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2023, military spending gmsd in United Kingdom stood at 84.21 billion.

The figure is up 4.8% on the previous year and up 24.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, military spending gmsd in United Kingdom peaked at 215.05 billion in 1944 and was at its lowest, 948.38 million, in 1836.

That places United Kingdom 6th out of 172 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Military spending gmsd in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Military spending gmsd in United Kingdom, 1816 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1816 1.32 billion —
1817 1.11 billion -15.6%
1818 1.09 billion -2.4%
1819 1.02 billion -6.2%
1820 1.03 billion +1.4%
1821 1.04 billion +0.7%
1822 984.72 million -5.3%
1823 1.07 billion +8.7%
1824 1.12 billion +4.7%
1825 1.13 billion +0.8%
1826 1.14 billion +0.8%
1827 1.13 billion -0.4%
1828 1.12 billion -1.3%
1829 1.12 billion -0.4%
1830 1.04 billion -6.3%
1831 1.17 billion +11.6%
1832 1.14 billion -1.9%
1833 1.09 billion -4.7%
1834 988.17 million -9.4%
1835 986.69 million -0.1%
1836 948.38 million -3.9%
1837 1.04 billion +9.6%
1838 1.06 billion +2.0%
1839 1.15 billion +8.2%
1840 1.30 billion +13.5%
1841 1.40 billion +7.6%
1842 1.40 billion +0.0%
1843 1.58 billion +12.9%
1844 1.60 billion +0.8%
1845 1.67 billion +4.5%
1846 1.83 billion +9.6%
1847 1.70 billion -7.1%
1848 2.01 billion +18.7%
1849 1.84 billion -8.8%
1850 1.66 billion -9.9%
1851 1.64 billion -0.8%
1852 1.48 billion -9.8%
1853 1.51 billion +2.0%
1854 10.05 billion +565.2%
1855 4.69 billion -53.4%
1856 4.22 billion -10.1%
1857 2.50 billion -40.6%
1858 2.80 billion +11.7%
1859 3.25 billion +16.0%
1860 3.33 billion +2.5%
1861 3.06 billion -8.1%
1862 3.11 billion +1.7%
1863 2.99 billion -3.8%
1864 3.19 billion +6.5%
1865 2.34 billion -26.6%
1866 2.37 billion +1.2%
1867 2.55 billion +7.8%
1868 2.75 billion +7.6%
1869 2.49 billion -9.3%
1870 2.01 billion -19.2%
1871 1.97 billion -2.3%
1872 2.07 billion +5.1%
1873 2.36 billion +14.1%
1874 2.29 billion -2.8%
1875 2.53 billion +10.2%
1876 2.62 billion +3.5%
1877 2.53 billion -3.3%
1878 2.75 billion +8.5%
1879 2.81 billion +2.4%
1880 2.43 billion -13.6%
1881 2.39 billion -1.6%
1882 2.85 billion +19.3%
1883 2.89 billion +1.5%
1884 3.17 billion +9.6%
1885 3.38 billion +6.5%
1886 3.56 billion +5.4%
1887 3.25 billion -8.7%
1888 3.38 billion +3.8%
1889 3.63 billion +7.4%
1890 3.95 billion +8.8%
1891 3.60 billion -8.7%
1892 3.84 billion +6.7%
1893 3.90 billion +1.6%
1894 4.23 billion +8.3%
1895 4.82 billion +14.0%
1896 5.00 billion +3.7%
1897 5.23 billion +4.5%
1898 5.47 billion +4.7%
1899 6.62 billion +20.9%
1900 13.90 billion +110.2%
1901 13.22 billion -4.9%
1902 11.23 billion -15.0%
1903 9.33 billion -17.0%
1904 8.35 billion -10.5%
1905 7.53 billion -9.8%
1906 7.40 billion -1.7%
1907 6.86 billion -7.3%
1908 6.93 billion +1.0%
1909 7.23 billion +4.4%
1910 7.35 billion +1.7%
1911 7.98 billion +8.6%
1912 7.71 billion -3.4%
1913 8.67 billion +12.4%
1914 36.25 billion +318.3%
1915 104.08 billion +187.1%
1916 128.66 billion +23.6%
1917 138.54 billion +7.7%
1918 103.25 billion -25.5%
1919 13.97 billion -86.5%
1920 11.49 billion -17.7%
1921 10.84 billion -5.7%
1922 9.62 billion -11.2%
1923 8.72 billion -9.3%
1924 7.75 billion -11.2%
1925 7.72 billion -0.4%
1926 7.79 billion +1.0%
1927 7.70 billion -1.2%
1928 7.50 billion -2.6%
1929 7.41 billion -1.2%
1930 7.30 billion -1.4%
1931 7.10 billion -2.7%
1932 6.94 billion -2.3%
1933 6.74 billion -2.8%
1934 9.71 billion +44.1%
1935 11.74 billion +20.9%
1936 14.85 billion +26.5%
1937 18.17 billion +22.4%
1938 23.40 billion +28.8%
1939 133.55 billion +470.7%
1940 165.31 billion +23.8%
1941 184.71 billion +11.7%
1942 197.72 billion +7.0%
1943 212.72 billion +7.6%
1944 215.05 billion +1.1%
1945 202.90 billion -5.7%
1946 155.84 billion -23.2%
1947 71.54 billion -54.1%
1948 40.42 billion -43.5%
1949 39.31 billion -2.7%
1950 25.33 billion -35.6%
1951 29.89 billion +18.0%
1952 43.24 billion +44.7%
1953 43.77 billion +1.2%
1954 42.28 billion -3.4%
1955 39.48 billion -6.6%
1956 42.91 billion +8.7%
1957 40.21 billion -6.3%
1958 41.07 billion +2.1%
1959 36.72 billion -10.6%
1960 35.67 billion -2.9%
1961 38.91 billion +9.1%
1962 41.12 billion +5.7%
1963 41.01 billion -0.3%
1964 43.19 billion +5.3%
1965 42.73 billion -1.1%
1966 40.43 billion -5.4%
1967 42.25 billion +4.5%
1968 40.47 billion -4.2%
1969 36.73 billion -9.3%
1970 37.43 billion +1.9%
1971 40.34 billion +7.8%
1972 43.65 billion +8.2%
1973 43.34 billion -0.7%
1974 45.45 billion +4.9%
1975 43.53 billion -4.2%
1976 43.47 billion -0.1%
1977 44.62 billion +2.7%
1978 46.61 billion +4.5%
1979 55.30 billion +18.6%
1980 62.27 billion +12.6%
1981 59.11 billion -5.1%
1982 62.79 billion +6.2%
1983 62.87 billion +0.1%
1984 62.60 billion -0.4%
1985 63.82 billion +1.9%
1986 68.00 billion +6.5%
1987 67.73 billion -0.4%
1988 68.80 billion +1.6%
1989 66.73 billion -3.0%
1990 68.40 billion +2.5%
1991 68.30 billion -0.1%
1992 66.07 billion -3.3%
1993 65.00 billion -1.6%
1994 63.48 billion -2.3%
1995 59.16 billion -6.8%
1996 57.99 billion -2.0%
1997 61.07 billion +5.3%
1998 59.64 billion -2.3%
1999 59.50 billion -0.2%
2000 57.51 billion -3.3%
2001 57.97 billion +0.8%
2002 58.02 billion +0.1%
2003 69.67 billion +20.1%
2004 76.64 billion +10.0%
2005 78.04 billion +1.8%
2006 79.51 billion +1.9%
2007 81.53 billion +2.5%
2008 77.33 billion -5.1%
2009 74.22 billion -4.0%
2010 74.50 billion +0.4%
2011 70.10 billion -5.9%
2012 71.46 billion +1.9%
2013 67.88 billion -5.0%
2014 66.23 billion -2.4%
2015 66.62 billion +0.6%
2016 64.59 billion -3.0%
2017 67.44 billion +4.4%
2018 70.09 billion +3.9%
2019 73.36 billion +4.7%
2020 75.55 billion +3.0%
2021 78.72 billion +4.2%
2022 80.35 billion +2.1%
2023 84.21 billion +4.8%

United Kingdom compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom's 84.21 billion is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.50 billion, 12.9× the median. (55 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom's 84.21 billion is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2.44 billion, 34.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Military spending gmsd 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.

YearChange FromTo
1854 +565.2% 1.51 billion 10.05 billion
1939 +470.7% 23.40 billion 133.55 billion
1914 +318.3% 8.67 billion 36.25 billion
1915 +187.1% 36.25 billion 104.08 billion
1900 +110.2% 6.62 billion 13.90 billion
1919 -86.5% 103.25 billion 13.97 billion

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1810s 1.13 billion 1.02 billion 1.32 billion 4
1820s 1.09 billion 984.72 million 1.14 billion 10
1830s 1.06 billion 948.38 million 1.17 billion 10
1840s 1.63 billion 1.30 billion 2.01 billion 10
1850s 3.38 billion 1.48 billion 10.05 billion 10
1860s 2.82 billion 2.34 billion 3.33 billion 10
1870s 2.39 billion 1.97 billion 2.81 billion 10
1880s 3.09 billion 2.39 billion 3.63 billion 10
1890s 4.67 billion 3.60 billion 6.62 billion 10
1900s 9.20 billion 6.86 billion 13.90 billion 10
1910s 55.65 billion 7.35 billion 138.54 billion 10
1920s 8.65 billion 7.41 billion 11.49 billion 10
1930s 23.95 billion 6.74 billion 133.55 billion 10
1940s 148.55 billion 39.31 billion 215.05 billion 10
1950s 38.49 billion 25.33 billion 43.77 billion 10
1960s 40.25 billion 35.67 billion 43.19 billion 10
1970s 44.38 billion 37.43 billion 55.30 billion 10
1980s 64.47 billion 59.11 billion 68.80 billion 10
1990s 62.86 billion 57.99 billion 68.40 billion 10
2000s 71.04 billion 57.51 billion 81.53 billion 10
2010s 69.23 billion 64.59 billion 74.50 billion 10
2020s 79.71 billion 75.55 billion 84.21 billion 4

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 3 Russia 120.26 billion compare
  2. 4 India 95.30 billion compare
  3. 5 Saudi Arabia 88.35 billion compare
  4. 7 France 71.97 billion compare
  5. 8 Ukraine 62.62 billion compare
  6. 9 Japan 62.31 billion compare

See the full ranking of 172 places →

More reference data data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is military spending gmsd in United Kingdom?
Military spending gmsd in United Kingdom was 84.21 billion in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest military spending gmsd recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 215.05 billion in 1944.
What is the lowest military spending gmsd recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 948.38 million in 1836.
How does United Kingdom rank for military spending gmsd?
United Kingdom ranks 6th out of 172 countries with data for 2023.
Is military spending gmsd rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 24.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending gmsd. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Military spending gmsd in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 13 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/military-spending-gmsd/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Military spending gmsd
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
172 places, 15,402 data points, 1816–2023
Last refreshed