Military spending per armed forces personnel in Iran
Iran: Military spending per armed forces personnel was 10,059 constant 2024 US$ in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
10,059 constant 2024 US$
Change on year
up 4.0%
World rank
122nd
of 160 countries
All-time high
15,486 constant 2024 US$
in 2006
All-time low
3,282 constant 2024 US$
in 1996
Years of data
33
1985–2020
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Iran, 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$.
Analysis
In 2020, military spending per armed forces personnel in Iran stood at 10,059 constant 2024 US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.0% on the previous year and down 33.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per armed forces personnel in Iran peaked at 15,486 constant 2024 US$ in 2006 and was at its lowest, 3,282 constant 2024 US$, in 1996.
Iran ranks 122nd of 160 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Iran, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 8,509 constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1989 | 4,317 constant 2024 US$ | -49.3% |
| 1990 | 5,262 constant 2024 US$ | +21.9% |
| 1991 | 4,489 constant 2024 US$ | -14.7% |
| 1992 | 3,431 constant 2024 US$ | -23.6% |
| 1993 | 4,018 constant 2024 US$ | +17.1% |
| 1994 | 4,959 constant 2024 US$ | +23.4% |
| 1995 | 3,366 constant 2024 US$ | -32.1% |
| 1996 | 3,282 constant 2024 US$ | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 3,640 constant 2024 US$ | +10.9% |
| 1998 | 3,856 constant 2024 US$ | +5.9% |
| 1999 | 4,070 constant 2024 US$ | +5.6% |
| 2000 | 4,675 constant 2024 US$ | +14.9% |
| 2001 | 7,087 constant 2024 US$ | +51.6% |
| 2002 | 7,533 constant 2024 US$ | +6.3% |
| 2003 | 8,489 constant 2024 US$ | +12.7% |
| 2004 | 13,832 constant 2024 US$ | +62.9% |
| 2005 | 12,933 constant 2024 US$ | -6.5% |
| 2006 | 15,486 constant 2024 US$ | +19.7% |
| 2007 | 14,797 constant 2024 US$ | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 14,236 constant 2024 US$ | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 14,895 constant 2024 US$ | +4.6% |
| 2010 | 15,156 constant 2024 US$ | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 13,081 constant 2024 US$ | -13.7% |
| 2012 | 13,618 constant 2024 US$ | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 10,967 constant 2024 US$ | -19.5% |
| 2014 | 10,935 constant 2024 US$ | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 11,627 constant 2024 US$ | +6.3% |
| 2016 | 13,348 constant 2024 US$ | +14.8% |
| 2017 | 15,018 constant 2024 US$ | +12.5% |
| 2018 | 11,559 constant 2024 US$ | -23.0% |
| 2019 | 9,671 constant 2024 US$ | -16.3% |
| 2020 | 10,059 constant 2024 US$ | +4.0% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 10,059 constant 2024 US$ is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 19,504 constant 2024 US$, 52% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Iran's 10,059 constant 2024 US$ is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 42,323 constant 2024 US$, 24% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6,413 constant 2024 US$ | 4,317 constant 2024 US$ | 8,509 constant 2024 US$ | 2 |
| 1990s | 4,037 constant 2024 US$ | 3,282 constant 2024 US$ | 5,262 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 11,396 constant 2024 US$ | 4,675 constant 2024 US$ | 15,486 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 12,498 constant 2024 US$ | 9,671 constant 2024 US$ | 15,156 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 10,059 constant 2024 US$ | 10,059 constant 2024 US$ | 10,059 constant 2024 US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 119 Iraq 11,555 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 120 Moldova 11,273 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 121 Mauritania 10,935 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 123 Dominican Republic 10,026 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 124 Turkmenistan 9,904 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 125 Guatemala 9,659 constant 2024 US$ compare
More reference data data for Iran
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 8.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Enteric Fermentation 35,629 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Crop Residues 1,936 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 34.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Burning - Crop residues 281.19 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending per armed forces personnel in Iran?
- Military spending per armed forces personnel in Iran was 10,059 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 15,486 constant 2024 US$ in 2006.
- What is the lowest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,282 constant 2024 US$ in 1996.
- How does Iran rank for military spending per armed forces personnel?
- Iran ranks 122nd out of 160 countries with data for 2020.
- Is military spending per armed forces personnel rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran 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.