Military spending, per capita in Kenya
Kenya: Military spending, per capita was 23.56 constant 2024 US$ per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Military spending, per capita in Kenya, 1963–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2024 US$ per person.
Analysis
In 2025, military spending, per capita in Kenya stood at 23.56 constant 2024 US$ per person.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.8% on the previous year and up 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per capita in Kenya peaked at 110.54 constant 2024 US$ per person in 1979 and was at its lowest, 3.73 constant 2024 US$ per person, in 1963.
That places Kenya 122nd out of 161 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending, per capita in Kenya, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 3.73 constant 2024 US$ per person | — |
| 1964 | 11.34 constant 2024 US$ per person | +203.9% |
| 1965 | 17.71 constant 2024 US$ per person | +56.2% |
| 1966 | 21.36 constant 2024 US$ per person | +20.6% |
| 1967 | 24.72 constant 2024 US$ per person | +15.7% |
| 1968 | 24.24 constant 2024 US$ per person | -2.0% |
| 1969 | 22.47 constant 2024 US$ per person | -7.3% |
| 1970 | 22.87 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 27.56 constant 2024 US$ per person | +20.5% |
| 1972 | 33.87 constant 2024 US$ per person | +22.9% |
| 1973 | 36.94 constant 2024 US$ per person | +9.0% |
| 1974 | 38.6 constant 2024 US$ per person | +4.5% |
| 1975 | 37.31 constant 2024 US$ per person | -3.3% |
| 1976 | 51.83 constant 2024 US$ per person | +38.9% |
| 1977 | 84.07 constant 2024 US$ per person | +62.2% |
| 1978 | 105.14 constant 2024 US$ per person | +25.1% |
| 1979 | 110.54 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.1% |
| 1980 | 86.84 constant 2024 US$ per person | -21.4% |
| 1981 | 81.26 constant 2024 US$ per person | -6.4% |
| 1982 | 79.27 constant 2024 US$ per person | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 71.59 constant 2024 US$ per person | -9.7% |
| 1984 | 56.82 constant 2024 US$ per person | -20.6% |
| 1985 | 46.04 constant 2024 US$ per person | -19.0% |
| 1986 | 53.19 constant 2024 US$ per person | +15.5% |
| 1987 | 66.06 constant 2024 US$ per person | +24.2% |
| 1988 | 61.54 constant 2024 US$ per person | -6.8% |
| 1989 | 55.14 constant 2024 US$ per person | -10.4% |
| 1990 | 54.32 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 40.94 constant 2024 US$ per person | -24.6% |
| 1992 | 29.69 constant 2024 US$ per person | -27.5% |
| 1993 | 24.08 constant 2024 US$ per person | -18.9% |
| 1994 | 19.48 constant 2024 US$ per person | -19.1% |
| 1995 | 21.74 constant 2024 US$ per person | +11.6% |
| 1996 | 24.71 constant 2024 US$ per person | +13.7% |
| 1997 | 22.86 constant 2024 US$ per person | -7.5% |
| 1998 | 20.94 constant 2024 US$ per person | -8.4% |
| 1999 | 19.8 constant 2024 US$ per person | -5.4% |
| 2000 | 20.63 constant 2024 US$ per person | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 23.01 constant 2024 US$ per person | +11.5% |
| 2002 | 24 constant 2024 US$ per person | +4.3% |
| 2003 | 23.49 constant 2024 US$ per person | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 22.47 constant 2024 US$ per person | -4.3% |
| 2005 | 22.99 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 22.05 constant 2024 US$ per person | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 23.96 constant 2024 US$ per person | +8.6% |
| 2008 | 22.18 constant 2024 US$ per person | -7.4% |
| 2009 | 21.96 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 22.62 constant 2024 US$ per person | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 22.49 constant 2024 US$ per person | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 24.76 constant 2024 US$ per person | +10.1% |
| 2013 | 23.85 constant 2024 US$ per person | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 21.18 constant 2024 US$ per person | -11.2% |
| 2015 | 22.36 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.5% |
| 2016 | 23.53 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.2% |
| 2017 | 23.62 constant 2024 US$ per person | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 23.75 constant 2024 US$ per person | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 22.35 constant 2024 US$ per person | -5.9% |
| 2020 | 21.68 constant 2024 US$ per person | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 21.87 constant 2024 US$ per person | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 20.95 constant 2024 US$ per person | -4.2% |
| 2023 | 20.64 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 22.26 constant 2024 US$ per person | +7.9% |
| 2025 | 23.56 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.8% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 23.56 constant 2024 US$ per person is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 28.14 constant 2024 US$ per person, 84% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 23.56 constant 2024 US$ per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.2 constant 2024 US$ per person, 1.3× the median. (45 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 | +203.9% | 3.73 constant 2024 US$ per person | 11.34 constant 2024 US$ per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17.94 constant 2024 US$ per person | 3.73 constant 2024 US$ per person | 24.72 constant 2024 US$ per person | 7 |
| 1970s | 54.87 constant 2024 US$ per person | 22.87 constant 2024 US$ per person | 110.54 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.77 constant 2024 US$ per person | 46.04 constant 2024 US$ per person | 86.84 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.86 constant 2024 US$ per person | 19.48 constant 2024 US$ per person | 54.32 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.67 constant 2024 US$ per person | 20.63 constant 2024 US$ per person | 24 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.05 constant 2024 US$ per person | 21.18 constant 2024 US$ per person | 24.76 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.83 constant 2024 US$ per person | 20.64 constant 2024 US$ per person | 23.56 constant 2024 US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 119 Congo 29.25 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 120 Chad 28.49 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 121 Senegal 28.14 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 123 Uganda 23.31 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 124 Togo 22.34 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 125 Cote d'Ivoire 22.04 constant 2024 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 23.56 constant 2024 US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per capita recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 110.54 constant 2024 US$ per person in 1979.
- What is the lowest military spending, per capita recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.73 constant 2024 US$ per person in 1963.
- How does Kenya rank for military spending, per capita?
- Kenya ranks 122nd out of 161 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending, per capita rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 — 63 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 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – 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.