Military spending in Australia
Australia: Military spending was 35.26 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
35.26 billion constant 2024 US$
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
17th
of 162 countries
All-time high
35.26 billion constant 2024 US$
in 2025
All-time low
3.19 billion constant 2024 US$
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Military spending in Australia, 1950–2025
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2024 US$.
Analysis
Australia recorded 35.26 billion constant 2024 US$ for military spending in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 29.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Australia peaked at 35.26 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.19 billion constant 2024 US$, in 1950.
That places Australia 17th out of 162 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in Australia, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.19 billion constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1951 | 4.59 billion constant 2024 US$ | +43.6% |
| 1952 | 5.86 billion constant 2024 US$ | +27.7% |
| 1953 | 5.90 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.7% |
| 1954 | 5.29 billion constant 2024 US$ | -10.3% |
| 1955 | 5.37 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.6% |
| 1956 | 5.20 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.1% |
| 1957 | 5.00 billion constant 2024 US$ | -4.0% |
| 1958 | 4.95 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.9% |
| 1959 | 4.98 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.6% |
| 1960 | 4.90 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.6% |
| 1961 | 4.89 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 5.10 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.2% |
| 1963 | 5.73 billion constant 2024 US$ | +12.4% |
| 1964 | 6.64 billion constant 2024 US$ | +15.8% |
| 1965 | 7.67 billion constant 2024 US$ | +15.5% |
| 1966 | 9.33 billion constant 2024 US$ | +21.7% |
| 1967 | 10.98 billion constant 2024 US$ | +17.6% |
| 1968 | 11.80 billion constant 2024 US$ | +7.5% |
| 1969 | 11.41 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.3% |
| 1970 | 10.66 billion constant 2024 US$ | -6.5% |
| 1971 | 10.36 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.8% |
| 1972 | 10.37 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 9.93 billion constant 2024 US$ | -4.2% |
| 1974 | 9.79 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.4% |
| 1975 | 9.95 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 10.11 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 10.16 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 10.27 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 10.61 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.3% |
| 1980 | 11.16 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.2% |
| 1981 | 11.92 billion constant 2024 US$ | +6.8% |
| 1982 | 12.53 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.1% |
| 1983 | 12.96 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 13.97 billion constant 2024 US$ | +7.8% |
| 1985 | 14.65 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.9% |
| 1986 | 14.74 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 14.24 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.4% |
| 1988 | 13.73 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.5% |
| 1989 | 13.62 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 13.68 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 13.92 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 14.32 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 14.86 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 15.03 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 14.56 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.1% |
| 1996 | 14.38 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 14.64 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 15.36 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 16.11 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 16.06 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 16.70 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.0% |
| 2002 | 17.42 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.3% |
| 2003 | 17.74 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 18.47 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 19.12 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 20.14 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 21.38 billion constant 2024 US$ | +6.1% |
| 2008 | 22.16 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 23.83 billion constant 2024 US$ | +7.5% |
| 2010 | 24.10 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 23.77 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 22.94 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 22.74 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 24.68 billion constant 2024 US$ | +8.5% |
| 2015 | 27.20 billion constant 2024 US$ | +10.2% |
| 2016 | 29.79 billion constant 2024 US$ | +9.5% |
| 2017 | 29.73 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 29.02 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 29.81 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 31.27 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.9% |
| 2021 | 33.39 billion constant 2024 US$ | +6.8% |
| 2022 | 33.63 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 33.24 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 34.23 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.0% |
| 2025 | 35.26 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 35.26 billion constant 2024 US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.82 billion constant 2024 US$, 5.2× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Australia's 35.26 billion constant 2024 US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.65 billion constant 2024 US$, 7.6× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | +43.6% | 3.19 billion constant 2024 US$ | 4.59 billion constant 2024 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5.03 billion constant 2024 US$ | 3.19 billion constant 2024 US$ | 5.90 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1960s | 7.85 billion constant 2024 US$ | 4.89 billion constant 2024 US$ | 11.80 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.22 billion constant 2024 US$ | 9.79 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10.66 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.35 billion constant 2024 US$ | 11.16 billion constant 2024 US$ | 14.74 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.69 billion constant 2024 US$ | 13.68 billion constant 2024 US$ | 16.11 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.30 billion constant 2024 US$ | 16.06 billion constant 2024 US$ | 23.83 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.38 billion constant 2024 US$ | 22.74 billion constant 2024 US$ | 29.81 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.50 billion constant 2024 US$ | 31.27 billion constant 2024 US$ | 35.26 billion constant 2024 US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 14 Poland 42.53 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 15 Spain 37.69 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 16 Canada 37.53 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 18 United Arab Emirates 27.81 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 19 Netherlands 27.00 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 20 Turkey 26.81 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
More reference data data for Australia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 28.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 118.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 170.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.9 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending in Australia?
- Military spending in Australia was 35.26 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 35.26 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.19 billion constant 2024 US$ in 1950.
- How does Australia rank for military spending?
- Australia ranks 17th out of 162 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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.