Military spending, per unit of GDP in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Military spending, per unit of GDP was 0.0725 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
0.0725 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP
Change on year
up 6.7%
World rank
6th
of 170 countries
All-time high
0.7373 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 1967
All-time low
0.0679 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 2022
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Military spending, per unit of GDP in Saudi Arabia, 1960–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
In 2023, military spending, per unit of gdp in Saudi Arabia stood at 0.0725 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP.
That represents a change of up 6.7% on the previous year and down 25.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per unit of gdp in Saudi Arabia peaked at 0.7373 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1967 and was at its lowest, 0.0679 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP, in 2022.
That places Saudi Arabia 6th out of 170 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending, per unit of GDP in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.3251 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1961 | 0.3062 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.8% |
| 1962 | 0.3172 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.6% |
| 1963 | 0.3621 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +14.1% |
| 1964 | 0.3867 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.8% |
| 1965 | 0.3906 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 0.4437 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +13.6% |
| 1967 | 0.7373 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +66.2% |
| 1968 | 0.5313 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -27.9% |
| 1969 | 0.5892 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +10.9% |
| 1970 | 0.523 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -11.2% |
| 1971 | 0.4543 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.1% |
| 1972 | 0.4428 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.6% |
| 1973 | 0.46 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.9% |
| 1974 | 0.176 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -61.8% |
| 1975 | 0.4201 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +138.8% |
| 1976 | 0.4713 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +12.2% |
| 1977 | 0.4097 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.1% |
| 1978 | 0.4627 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +12.9% |
| 1979 | 0.3966 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.3% |
| 1980 | 0.3067 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -22.7% |
| 1981 | 0.2964 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.4% |
| 1982 | 0.3858 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +30.2% |
| 1983 | 0.4131 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +7.1% |
| 1984 | 0.404 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 0.3857 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.5% |
| 1986 | 0.4406 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +14.2% |
| 1987 | 0.3851 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -12.6% |
| 1988 | 0.3306 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.2% |
| 1989 | 0.3195 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.3% |
| 1990 | 0.314 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 0.358 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +14.0% |
| 1992 | 0.2676 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -25.3% |
| 1993 | 0.2437 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -8.9% |
| 1994 | 0.2066 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -15.2% |
| 1995 | 0.1855 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -10.2% |
| 1996 | 0.1655 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -10.8% |
| 1997 | 0.1755 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.0% |
| 1998 | 0.2176 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +24.0% |
| 1999 | 0.2002 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -8.0% |
| 2000 | 0.1766 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -11.8% |
| 2001 | 0.1782 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 0.1552 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -12.9% |
| 2003 | 0.1361 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -12.3% |
| 2004 | 0.1258 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.5% |
| 2005 | 0.1049 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -16.6% |
| 2006 | 0.1053 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 0.1098 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 0.0906 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -17.5% |
| 2009 | 0.1198 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +32.3% |
| 2010 | 0.0984 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -17.8% |
| 2011 | 0.0839 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.7% |
| 2012 | 0.0889 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.9% |
| 2013 | 0.0966 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +8.7% |
| 2014 | 0.1129 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +16.9% |
| 2015 | 0.1273 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +12.8% |
| 2016 | 0.1204 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.4% |
| 2017 | 0.1262 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.8% |
| 2018 | 0.1005 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -20.4% |
| 2019 | 0.0979 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 0.106 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +8.3% |
| 2021 | 0.0832 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -21.5% |
| 2022 | 0.0679 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -18.4% |
| 2023 | 0.0725 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.7% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 0.0725 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0189 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP, 3.8× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 0.0725 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.0466 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP, 1.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending, per unit of GDP in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +138.8% | 0.176 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.4201 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.4389 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.3062 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.7373 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.4217 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.176 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.523 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3668 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2964 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.4406 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2334 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1655 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.358 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1302 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0906 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1782 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1053 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0839 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1273 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0824 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0679 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.106 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 3 South Sudan 0.1114 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 4 Libya 0.0959 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 5 Yemen 0.0782 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 7 Oman 0.0721 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 8 United Arab Emirates 0.0697 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 9 Algeria 0.0654 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
More reference data data for Saudi Arabia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1771 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6194 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.2207 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9641 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending, per unit of gdp in Saudi Arabia?
- Military spending, per unit of gdp in Saudi Arabia was 0.0725 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per unit of gdp recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.7373 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1967.
- What is the lowest military spending, per unit of gdp recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0679 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2022.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for military spending, per unit of gdp?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 6th out of 170 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending, per unit of gdp rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military spending, per unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Military spending divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military spending ÷ GDP (current US$)
Computed from
- Military spending Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- GDP Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
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 GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.