Military spending per armed forces personnel in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Military spending per armed forces personnel was 3,698 constant 2024 US$ in 2020. ▲ Rising
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Ethiopia, 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$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending per armed forces personnel in Ethiopia is 3,698 constant 2024 US$, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 12.8% on the previous year and down 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per armed forces personnel in Ethiopia peaked at 9,889 constant 2024 US$ in 1998 and was at its lowest, 2,161 constant 2024 US$, in 1995.
Ethiopia ranks 151st of 160 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 2,767 constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1989 | 4,302 constant 2024 US$ | +55.5% |
| 1990 | 4,110 constant 2024 US$ | -4.5% |
| 1991 | 4,251 constant 2024 US$ | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 2,513 constant 2024 US$ | -40.9% |
| 1993 | 2,779 constant 2024 US$ | +10.6% |
| 1994 | 2,562 constant 2024 US$ | -7.8% |
| 1995 | 2,161 constant 2024 US$ | -15.6% |
| 1996 | 2,515 constant 2024 US$ | +16.4% |
| 1997 | 4,624 constant 2024 US$ | +83.9% |
| 1998 | 9,889 constant 2024 US$ | +113.8% |
| 1999 | 5,785 constant 2024 US$ | -41.5% |
| 2000 | 4,818 constant 2024 US$ | -16.7% |
| 2001 | 4,274 constant 2024 US$ | -11.3% |
| 2002 | 3,552 constant 2024 US$ | -16.9% |
| 2003 | 4,703 constant 2024 US$ | +32.4% |
| 2004 | 4,552 constant 2024 US$ | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 4,544 constant 2024 US$ | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 5,021 constant 2024 US$ | +10.5% |
| 2008 | 4,010 constant 2024 US$ | -20.1% |
| 2009 | 3,943 constant 2024 US$ | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 3,828 constant 2024 US$ | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 3,728 constant 2024 US$ | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 3,597 constant 2024 US$ | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 3,602 constant 2024 US$ | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 3,731 constant 2024 US$ | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 3,848 constant 2024 US$ | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 4,421 constant 2024 US$ | +14.9% |
| 2017 | 4,611 constant 2024 US$ | +4.3% |
| 2018 | 4,552 constant 2024 US$ | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 4,239 constant 2024 US$ | -6.9% |
| 2020 | 3,698 constant 2024 US$ | -12.8% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 3,698 constant 2024 US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is 7,109 constant 2024 US$, 52% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 3,698 constant 2024 US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13,391 constant 2024 US$, 28% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending per armed forces personnel in Ethiopia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +113.8% | 4,624 constant 2024 US$ | 9,889 constant 2024 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3,534 constant 2024 US$ | 2,767 constant 2024 US$ | 4,302 constant 2024 US$ | 2 |
| 1990s | 4,119 constant 2024 US$ | 2,161 constant 2024 US$ | 9,889 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 4,380 constant 2024 US$ | 3,552 constant 2024 US$ | 5,021 constant 2024 US$ | 9 |
| 2010s | 4,016 constant 2024 US$ | 3,597 constant 2024 US$ | 4,611 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,698 constant 2024 US$ | 3,698 constant 2024 US$ | 3,698 constant 2024 US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More reference data data for Ethiopia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6564 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 20.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 100.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 121.79 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 7.47 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending per armed forces personnel in Ethiopia?
- Military spending per armed forces personnel in Ethiopia was 3,698 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 9,889 constant 2024 US$ in 1998.
- What is the lowest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,161 constant 2024 US$ in 1995.
- How does Ethiopia rank for military spending per armed forces personnel?
- Ethiopia ranks 151st out of 160 countries with data for 2020.
- Is military spending per armed forces personnel rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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 — 32 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.