Military Expenditure History
Historical defense spending percentages from CIA data
- Unit
- Percent of GDP (time-series)
- Data Source
- CIA World Factbook 2020
What It Measures
Multi-year time-series of military expenditure as percentage of GDP, showing historical spending trends and patterns.
Why It Matters
Historical trends reveal changing security priorities, economic constraints, and strategic shifts. Rising spending may indicate arms buildups or regional tensions. Declining spending may reflect peace dividends or fiscal constraints.
How to Interpret
Look for trends: sustained increases (militarization), decreases (demilitarization), or volatility (unstable security environment). Compare to regional conflicts, alliance commitments, and economic crises.
Limitations
CIA data is less frequently updated than World Bank. May not reflect most recent years. Methodologies may differ slightly from World Bank SIPRI data.