Military spending, per unit of GDP in Iran
Iran: Military spending, per unit of GDP was 0.0205 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.0205 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP
Change on year
up 23.7%
World rank
59th
of 160 countries
All-time high
0.181 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 1975
All-time low
0.0117 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 2011
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military spending, per unit of GDP in Iran, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending, per unit of gdp in Iran is 0.0205 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 23.7% on the previous year and up 28.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per unit of gdp in Iran peaked at 0.181 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1975 and was at its lowest, 0.0117 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, in 2011.
That places Iran 59th out of 160 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending, per unit of GDP in Iran, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.0772 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1961 | 0.0762 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.3% |
| 1962 | 0.0741 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.9% |
| 1963 | 0.0823 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +11.1% |
| 1964 | 0.0877 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.6% |
| 1965 | 0.0959 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +9.3% |
| 1966 | 0.1125 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +17.3% |
| 1967 | 0.1286 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +14.3% |
| 1968 | 0.1479 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +15.0% |
| 1969 | 0.1635 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +10.6% |
| 1970 | 0.1564 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.3% |
| 1971 | 0.0778 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -50.2% |
| 1972 | 0.0541 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -30.4% |
| 1973 | 0.0367 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -32.2% |
| 1974 | 0.1492 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +306.2% |
| 1975 | 0.181 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +21.4% |
| 1976 | 0.1552 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.3% |
| 1977 | 0.1097 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -29.3% |
| 1978 | 0.1079 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.7% |
| 1979 | 0.0519 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -51.9% |
| 1980 | 0.0403 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -22.3% |
| 1981 | 0.0563 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +39.7% |
| 1982 | 0.0482 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.3% |
| 1983 | 0.0364 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -24.4% |
| 1984 | 0.0306 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -16.0% |
| 1985 | 0.0288 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.9% |
| 1986 | 0.0199 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -31.0% |
| 1987 | 0.0285 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +43.1% |
| 1988 | 0.0287 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 0.0216 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -24.5% |
| 1990 | 0.0185 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.3% |
| 1991 | 0.0159 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.5% |
| 1992 | 0.0151 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.6% |
| 1993 | 0.0333 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +120.0% |
| 1994 | 0.0364 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +9.5% |
| 1995 | 0.0266 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -26.9% |
| 1996 | 0.0235 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -11.7% |
| 1997 | 0.0277 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +17.9% |
| 1998 | 0.0287 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.4% |
| 1999 | 0.0281 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 0.0321 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +14.4% |
| 2001 | 0.0309 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.8% |
| 2002 | 0.0328 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.2% |
| 2003 | 0.0324 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 0.0339 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.6% |
| 2005 | 0.0336 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 0.0341 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 0.0238 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -30.2% |
| 2008 | 0.0197 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -17.1% |
| 2009 | 0.0203 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 0.0175 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.5% |
| 2011 | 0.0117 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -33.2% |
| 2012 | 0.0119 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 0.0123 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 0.0133 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +7.9% |
| 2015 | 0.016 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +20.1% |
| 2016 | 0.0157 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 0.0166 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.5% |
| 2018 | 0.0182 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +10.1% |
| 2019 | 0.0181 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 0.0233 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +28.8% |
| 2021 | 0.0195 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -16.2% |
| 2022 | 0.0198 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 0.0193 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.4% |
| 2024 | 0.0166 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.0% |
| 2025 | 0.0205 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +23.7% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 0.0205 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0132 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, 1.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Iran's 0.0205 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.0385 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, 53% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending, per unit of GDP in Iran 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +306.2% | 0.0367 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1492 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP |
| 1993 | +120.0% | 0.0151 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0333 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.1046 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0741 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1635 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.108 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0367 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.181 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0339 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0199 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0563 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0254 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0151 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0364 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0294 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0197 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0341 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0151 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0117 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0182 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0198 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0166 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0233 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 56 Niger 0.0208 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 57 Ecuador 0.0208 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 58 Guinea 0.0207 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 60 Romania 0.0205 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 61 Netherlands 0.0203 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 62 Mozambique 0.02 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
More reference data data for Iran
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 11.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 3.84 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 46.54 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 109.46 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 7.3 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending, per unit of gdp in Iran?
- Military spending, per unit of gdp in Iran was 0.0205 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per unit of gdp recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 0.181 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1975.
- What is the lowest military spending, per unit of gdp recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0117 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2011.
- How does Iran rank for military spending, per unit of gdp?
- Iran ranks 59th out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending, per unit of gdp rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran 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 — 66 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 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – 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.