Worldwide military spending tenth year in a row

Military expenses increase

Worldwide military spending tenth year in a row

In view of the tense world situation, military spending also increased in 2024. For the first time since reunification, Germany gave more than the other countries of central and Western Europe.

The global military spending rose for the tenth time in a row in 2024. All states together for the military set up around $ 2.72 trillion (around 2.38 trillion euros), as the Stockholm Peace Research Institute Sipri announced in its new report. That was 9.4 percent more than 2023 – the biggest increase from one next year since the end of the Cold War.

According to the institute, the increase in Europe and the Middle East was particularly strong, which could be justified with the wars in Ukraine and in the Gaza Strip as well as the conflict between Israel and the Hisbollah in Lebanon.

According to Sipri, Germany used $ 88.5 billion (77.6 billion euros) for the military – 28 percent more than in the previous year – and was therefore the first time since reunification of all other countries Central and Western Europe. The Federal Republic worldwide came fourth and three behind the leader in the USA and China and Russia.

The Sipri report shows that all European countries – with the exception of Malta – increased their military spending in 2024. Russia was the country in Europe with $ 149 billion (almost 131 billion euros), which was by far the most for its military.

The Ukraine attacked by Russia related $ 64.7 billion (around 56.7 billion euros). At 34 percent, Ukraine was the country worldwide, which spent the largest proportion of its gross domestic product for its military apparatus.

According to the report, the United States, the undisputed number one in military spending for years, accounted for $ 997 billion (874 billion euros) of global military spending. China, in second place on the list, increased its expenses by seven percent to $ 314 billion (around 275 billion euros) and thus recorded three decades of uninterrupted increase in his military spending.

According to Sipri, military spending rose in the Middle East, but only Israel and Lebanon recorded a striking increase. Israel’s editions therefore rose to $ 46.5 billion (a good 40 billion euros) at 65 percent as it has not been since the 1967 Six Day War in 1967.

The annual Sipri report among military expenditure all over the world is the most comprehensive data collection of this kind. Peace researchers also include expenses for personnel, military aids and military research and development.