Military spending in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Military spending was 1.08 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.08 billion constant 2024 US$
Change on year
up 20.3%
World rank
86th
of 162 countries
All-time high
1.08 billion constant 2024 US$
in 2025
All-time low
36.75 million constant 2024 US$
in 1998
Years of data
59
1963–2025
Military spending in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1963–2025
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2024 US$.
Analysis
In 2025, military spending in Democratic Republic of Congo stood at 1.08 billion constant 2024 US$. That is the highest value across all 59 years on record.
The figure is up 20.3% on the previous year and up 89.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 1.08 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 36.75 million constant 2024 US$, in 1998.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 86th out of 162 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 124.43 million constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1964 | 171.27 million constant 2024 US$ | +37.6% |
| 1965 | 278.89 million constant 2024 US$ | +62.8% |
| 1966 | 239.21 million constant 2024 US$ | -14.2% |
| 1967 | 215.24 million constant 2024 US$ | -10.0% |
| 1968 | 222.87 million constant 2024 US$ | +3.5% |
| 1969 | 301.28 million constant 2024 US$ | +35.2% |
| 1970 | 394.15 million constant 2024 US$ | +30.8% |
| 1971 | 370.44 million constant 2024 US$ | -6.0% |
| 1972 | 295.43 million constant 2024 US$ | -20.3% |
| 1973 | 278.25 million constant 2024 US$ | -5.8% |
| 1974 | 397.15 million constant 2024 US$ | +42.7% |
| 1975 | 283.29 million constant 2024 US$ | -28.7% |
| 1976 | 172.75 million constant 2024 US$ | -39.0% |
| 1977 | 147.76 million constant 2024 US$ | -14.5% |
| 1978 | 129.06 million constant 2024 US$ | -12.7% |
| 1979 | 117.88 million constant 2024 US$ | -8.7% |
| 1980 | 103.78 million constant 2024 US$ | -12.0% |
| 1981 | 56.51 million constant 2024 US$ | -45.5% |
| 1982 | 111.35 million constant 2024 US$ | +97.0% |
| 1983 | 75.83 million constant 2024 US$ | -31.9% |
| 1984 | 94.48 million constant 2024 US$ | +24.6% |
| 1985 | 79.63 million constant 2024 US$ | -15.7% |
| 1986 | 110.12 million constant 2024 US$ | +38.3% |
| 1987 | 48.76 million constant 2024 US$ | -55.7% |
| 1988 | 360.24 million constant 2024 US$ | +638.9% |
| 1989 | 113.03 million constant 2024 US$ | -68.6% |
| 1990 | 79.93 million constant 2024 US$ | -29.3% |
| 1991 | 73.49 million constant 2024 US$ | -8.1% |
| 1992 | 140.23 million constant 2024 US$ | +90.8% |
| 1993 | 430.83 million constant 2024 US$ | +207.2% |
| 1996 | 148.54 million constant 2024 US$ | -65.5% |
| 1997 | 122.08 million constant 2024 US$ | -17.8% |
| 1998 | 36.75 million constant 2024 US$ | -69.9% |
| 1999 | 133.88 million constant 2024 US$ | +264.3% |
| 2000 | 99.55 million constant 2024 US$ | -25.6% |
| 2003 | 169.37 million constant 2024 US$ | +70.1% |
| 2004 | 280.63 million constant 2024 US$ | +65.7% |
| 2005 | 328.77 million constant 2024 US$ | +17.2% |
| 2006 | 357.41 million constant 2024 US$ | +8.7% |
| 2007 | 338.24 million constant 2024 US$ | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 241.95 million constant 2024 US$ | -28.5% |
| 2009 | 183.40 million constant 2024 US$ | -24.2% |
| 2010 | 249.43 million constant 2024 US$ | +36.0% |
| 2011 | 286.31 million constant 2024 US$ | +14.8% |
| 2012 | 395.39 million constant 2024 US$ | +38.1% |
| 2013 | 441.47 million constant 2024 US$ | +11.7% |
| 2014 | 399.69 million constant 2024 US$ | -9.5% |
| 2015 | 571.71 million constant 2024 US$ | +43.0% |
| 2016 | 487.11 million constant 2024 US$ | -14.8% |
| 2017 | 384.88 million constant 2024 US$ | -21.0% |
| 2018 | 331.27 million constant 2024 US$ | -13.9% |
| 2019 | 385.81 million constant 2024 US$ | +16.5% |
| 2020 | 399.04 million constant 2024 US$ | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 333.79 million constant 2024 US$ | -16.4% |
| 2022 | 374.58 million constant 2024 US$ | +12.2% |
| 2023 | 763.04 million constant 2024 US$ | +103.7% |
| 2024 | 899.19 million constant 2024 US$ | +17.8% |
| 2025 | 1.08 billion constant 2024 US$ | +20.3% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 1.08 billion constant 2024 US$ is above the median for low income countries, which is 193.28 million constant 2024 US$, 5.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 1.08 billion constant 2024 US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 336.91 million constant 2024 US$, 3.2× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in Democratic Republic of Congo changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +638.9% | 48.76 million constant 2024 US$ | 360.24 million constant 2024 US$ |
| 1999 | +264.3% | 36.75 million constant 2024 US$ | 133.88 million constant 2024 US$ |
| 1993 | +207.2% | 140.23 million constant 2024 US$ | 430.83 million constant 2024 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 221.89 million constant 2024 US$ | 124.43 million constant 2024 US$ | 301.28 million constant 2024 US$ | 7 |
| 1970s | 258.61 million constant 2024 US$ | 117.88 million constant 2024 US$ | 397.15 million constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 115.37 million constant 2024 US$ | 48.76 million constant 2024 US$ | 360.24 million constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 145.72 million constant 2024 US$ | 36.75 million constant 2024 US$ | 430.83 million constant 2024 US$ | 8 |
| 2000s | 249.92 million constant 2024 US$ | 99.55 million constant 2024 US$ | 357.41 million constant 2024 US$ | 8 |
| 2010s | 393.31 million constant 2024 US$ | 249.43 million constant 2024 US$ | 571.71 million constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 641.96 million constant 2024 US$ | 333.79 million constant 2024 US$ | 1.08 billion constant 2024 US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 83 Angola 1.26 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 84 Uganda 1.20 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 85 Slovenia 1.14 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 87 Dominican Republic 1.04 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 88 Tanzania 983.38 million constant 2024 US$ compare
- 89 Mali 882.92 million constant 2024 US$ compare
More reference data data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Manure Management 380.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Manure applied 313.43 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Burning - Crop residues 8.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Enteric Fermentation 109.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 11.56 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Manure left on 1,764 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 6,987 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure Management 601.15 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Military spending in Democratic Republic of Congo was 1.08 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 Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 1.08 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.75 million constant 2024 US$ in 1998.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for military spending?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 86th out of 162 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 89.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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 — 59 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.