Military spending per armed forces personnel in Canada
Canada: Military spending per armed forces personnel was 374,715 constant 2024 US$ in 2020. ▲ Rising
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Canada, 1985–2020
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2024 US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending per armed forces personnel in Canada is 374,715 constant 2024 US$, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.6% on the previous year and up 22.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per armed forces personnel in Canada peaked at 374,715 constant 2024 US$ in 2020 and was at its lowest, 194,456 constant 2024 US$, in 1996.
Canada ranks 8th of 160 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Canada, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 228,935 constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1989 | 227,134 constant 2024 US$ | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 229,529 constant 2024 US$ | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 214,446 constant 2024 US$ | -6.6% |
| 1992 | 222,423 constant 2024 US$ | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 239,380 constant 2024 US$ | +7.6% |
| 1994 | 239,048 constant 2024 US$ | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 223,224 constant 2024 US$ | -6.6% |
| 1996 | 194,456 constant 2024 US$ | -12.9% |
| 1997 | 196,695 constant 2024 US$ | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 211,496 constant 2024 US$ | +7.5% |
| 1999 | 220,627 constant 2024 US$ | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 221,607 constant 2024 US$ | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 235,741 constant 2024 US$ | +6.4% |
| 2002 | 254,246 constant 2024 US$ | +7.8% |
| 2003 | 258,927 constant 2024 US$ | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 233,149 constant 2024 US$ | -10.0% |
| 2005 | 243,403 constant 2024 US$ | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 282,576 constant 2024 US$ | +16.1% |
| 2007 | 308,081 constant 2024 US$ | +9.0% |
| 2008 | 332,011 constant 2024 US$ | +7.8% |
| 2009 | 338,079 constant 2024 US$ | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 305,458 constant 2024 US$ | -9.6% |
| 2011 | 315,781 constant 2024 US$ | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 298,912 constant 2024 US$ | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 277,571 constant 2024 US$ | -7.1% |
| 2014 | 291,114 constant 2024 US$ | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 320,457 constant 2024 US$ | +10.1% |
| 2016 | 313,865 constant 2024 US$ | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 347,392 constant 2024 US$ | +10.7% |
| 2018 | 340,312 constant 2024 US$ | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 338,735 constant 2024 US$ | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 374,715 constant 2024 US$ | +10.6% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 374,715 constant 2024 US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 131,220 constant 2024 US$, 2.9× the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 228,034 constant 2024 US$ | 227,134 constant 2024 US$ | 228,935 constant 2024 US$ | 2 |
| 1990s | 219,132 constant 2024 US$ | 194,456 constant 2024 US$ | 239,380 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 270,782 constant 2024 US$ | 221,607 constant 2024 US$ | 338,079 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 314,960 constant 2024 US$ | 277,571 constant 2024 US$ | 347,392 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 374,715 constant 2024 US$ | 374,715 constant 2024 US$ | 374,715 constant 2024 US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 5 Sweden 450,217 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 6 United Arab Emirates 441,390 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 7 Luxembourg 398,108 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 9 Netherlands 367,337 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 10 Denmark 355,255 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 11 Libya 336,927 constant 2024 US$ compare
More reference data data for Canada
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 20.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 20.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 7.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 22.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 99.83 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.88 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending per armed forces personnel in Canada?
- Military spending per armed forces personnel in Canada was 374,715 constant 2024 US$ in 2020, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 374,715 constant 2024 US$ in 2020.
- What is the lowest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 194,456 constant 2024 US$ in 1996.
- How does Canada rank for military spending per armed forces personnel?
- Canada ranks 8th out of 160 countries with data for 2020.
- Is military spending per armed forces personnel rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per armed forces personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total military expenditure divided by armed forces personnel. 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.