Military spending, per capita in Kenya
Kenya: Military spending, per capita was 25.23 constant 2022 US$ per person in 2023. ▲ Rising
Military spending, per capita in Kenya, 1963–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2022 US$ per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending, per capita in Kenya is 25.23 constant 2022 US$ per person, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per capita in Kenya peaked at 46.96 constant 2022 US$ per person in 1979 and was at its lowest, 3.01 constant 2022 US$ per person, in 1963.
That places Kenya 135th out of 171 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 61 years of available data.
Military spending, per capita in Kenya, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 3.01 constant 2022 US$ per person | — |
| 1964 | 5.89 constant 2022 US$ per person | +95.7% |
| 1965 | 7.49 constant 2022 US$ per person | +27.3% |
| 1966 | 8.96 constant 2022 US$ per person | +19.6% |
| 1967 | 10.73 constant 2022 US$ per person | +19.8% |
| 1968 | 10.03 constant 2022 US$ per person | -6.6% |
| 1969 | 9.55 constant 2022 US$ per person | -4.8% |
| 1970 | 9.32 constant 2022 US$ per person | -2.4% |
| 1971 | 10.23 constant 2022 US$ per person | +9.7% |
| 1972 | 12.33 constant 2022 US$ per person | +20.5% |
| 1973 | 13.11 constant 2022 US$ per person | +6.3% |
| 1974 | 13.4 constant 2022 US$ per person | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 15.27 constant 2022 US$ per person | +14.0% |
| 1976 | 15.91 constant 2022 US$ per person | +4.2% |
| 1977 | 24.96 constant 2022 US$ per person | +56.8% |
| 1978 | 24.43 constant 2022 US$ per person | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 46.96 constant 2022 US$ per person | +92.2% |
| 1980 | 38.91 constant 2022 US$ per person | -17.1% |
| 1981 | 30.44 constant 2022 US$ per person | -21.8% |
| 1982 | 29.33 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.7% |
| 1983 | 24.29 constant 2022 US$ per person | -17.2% |
| 1984 | 21.62 constant 2022 US$ per person | -11.0% |
| 1985 | 18.5 constant 2022 US$ per person | -14.4% |
| 1986 | 17.95 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 18.23 constant 2022 US$ per person | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 19.67 constant 2022 US$ per person | +8.0% |
| 1989 | 17.61 constant 2022 US$ per person | -10.5% |
| 1990 | 16.94 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.8% |
| 1991 | 15.71 constant 2022 US$ per person | -7.3% |
| 1992 | 14.78 constant 2022 US$ per person | -5.9% |
| 1993 | 12.33 constant 2022 US$ per person | -16.6% |
| 1994 | 11.99 constant 2022 US$ per person | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 12.99 constant 2022 US$ per person | +8.4% |
| 1996 | 12.49 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.9% |
| 1997 | 13.52 constant 2022 US$ per person | +8.3% |
| 1998 | 14.41 constant 2022 US$ per person | +6.5% |
| 1999 | 13.6 constant 2022 US$ per person | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 12.76 constant 2022 US$ per person | -6.1% |
| 2001 | 12.36 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 11.12 constant 2022 US$ per person | -10.0% |
| 2003 | 11.07 constant 2022 US$ per person | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 12.14 constant 2022 US$ per person | +9.7% |
| 2005 | 13.74 constant 2022 US$ per person | +13.2% |
| 2006 | 14.92 constant 2022 US$ per person | +8.6% |
| 2007 | 19.8 constant 2022 US$ per person | +32.7% |
| 2008 | 20.42 constant 2022 US$ per person | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 18.03 constant 2022 US$ per person | -11.7% |
| 2010 | 18.77 constant 2022 US$ per person | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 19.43 constant 2022 US$ per person | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 22.02 constant 2022 US$ per person | +13.4% |
| 2013 | 23.68 constant 2022 US$ per person | +7.5% |
| 2014 | 24.42 constant 2022 US$ per person | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 24.52 constant 2022 US$ per person | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 27.38 constant 2022 US$ per person | +11.6% |
| 2017 | 29.82 constant 2022 US$ per person | +8.9% |
| 2018 | 29.25 constant 2022 US$ per person | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 29.75 constant 2022 US$ per person | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 27.67 constant 2022 US$ per person | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 27.44 constant 2022 US$ per person | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 24.6 constant 2022 US$ per person | -10.4% |
| 2023 | 25.23 constant 2022 US$ per person | +2.6% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 25.23 constant 2022 US$ per person is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 35.33 constant 2022 US$ per person, 71% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 25.23 constant 2022 US$ per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 20.8 constant 2022 US$ per person, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending, per capita in Kenya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | +95.7% | 3.01 constant 2022 US$ per person | 5.89 constant 2022 US$ per person |
| 1979 | +92.2% | 24.43 constant 2022 US$ per person | 46.96 constant 2022 US$ per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.95 constant 2022 US$ per person | 3.01 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10.73 constant 2022 US$ per person | 7 |
| 1970s | 18.59 constant 2022 US$ per person | 9.32 constant 2022 US$ per person | 46.96 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.66 constant 2022 US$ per person | 17.61 constant 2022 US$ per person | 38.91 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.87 constant 2022 US$ per person | 11.99 constant 2022 US$ per person | 16.94 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.64 constant 2022 US$ per person | 11.07 constant 2022 US$ per person | 20.42 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.9 constant 2022 US$ per person | 18.77 constant 2022 US$ per person | 29.82 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.24 constant 2022 US$ per person | 24.6 constant 2022 US$ per person | 27.67 constant 2022 US$ per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 132 Cape Verde 27.57 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 133 Guatemala 27.31 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 134 Cote d'Ivoire 25.69 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 136 Uganda 23.63 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 137 Mauritius 23.17 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 138 Chad 21.27 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
More reference data data for Kenya
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5379 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 58.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 68.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.05 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending, per capita in Kenya?
- Military spending, per capita in Kenya was 25.23 constant 2022 US$ per person in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per capita recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 46.96 constant 2022 US$ per person in 1979.
- What is the lowest military spending, per capita recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.01 constant 2022 US$ per person in 1963.
- How does Kenya rank for military spending, per capita?
- Kenya ranks 135th out of 171 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending, per capita rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military spending, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Military spending divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military spending ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Military spending Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Military spending divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.