Global Military Spending 2026: $2,894.4bn Across 153 Countries
Global military spending reached an estimated $2,894.4bn in 2026, with the United States accounting for 33.7% of that total.
Key takeaways
- World military spending reached an estimated $2,894.4bn in 2026 across 153 countries.
- The United States alone accounted for 33.7% of the total, at $975.6bn.
- The top five spenders — US, China, Russia, Germany, India — made up 58.9% of global spending.
- The top 10 spenders together accounted for 72.3% of the $2,894.4bn total.
- This is our calculation from SIPRI country data, not a figure SIPRI itself publishes, and excludes countries like North Korea that have no SIPRI series.
Verdict
Global military spending totaled an estimated $2,894.4bn in 2026 across 153 countries, with the United States alone responsible for 33.7% ($975.6bn) of that sum. This is our calculation from SIPRI country-level data, not a SIPRI-published total, and excludes countries absent from SIPRI's dataset such as North Korea — so it represents a floor on true global spending, not a complete census.
At a glance
| World total (2026, est.) | $2,894.4bn153 countries |
|---|---|
| United States | $975.6bn33.7% of world total |
| China | $351.8bn12.2% of world total |
| Top 5 share | 58.9%US, China, Russia, Germany, India |
| Top 10 share | 72.3%cumulative |
World military spending reached an estimated $2,894.4bn in 2026, calculated from SIPRI country-level data covering 153 countries. The United States alone accounted for 33.7% of that total, or $975.6bn.
01 How much did the world spend on the military in 2026?
Summing SIPRI's 2026 country series produces a world total of $2,894.4bn, in SIPRI constant 2024 US dollars. That figure covers 153 countries with reported data for the year. 2026 is an estimate year in SIPRI's series, not a finalized actual, so this number should be read as the current best estimate rather than a closed-book figure.
Sum of the 153 countries SIPRI reports for 2026. Some spenders are absent from the dataset (North Korea has no series; several states have gaps), so this is a floor, not the whole world.
02 The top 10 spenders and their share of the total
Ten countries make up more than 72% of the $2,894.4bn total. The United States leads at $975.6bn (33.7% of the total), followed by China at $351.8bn (12.2%) and Russia at $166.1bn (5.7%).
| Rank | Country | 2026 spending | % of GDP | Share of world total | Cumulative share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | $975.6bn | 3.4% | 33.7% | 33.7% |
| 2 | China | $351.8bn | 1.7% | 12.2% | 45.9% |
| 3 | Russia | $166.1bn | 6.3% | 5.7% | 51.6% |
| 4 | Germany | $112.1bn | 2.8% | 3.9% | 55.5% |
| 5 | India | $97.9bn | 2.3% | 3.4% | 58.9% |
| 6 | United Kingdom | $92.4bn | 2.5% | 3.2% | 62.0% |
| 7 | Saudi Arabia | $85.5bn | 6.3% | 3.0% | 65.0% |
| 8 | Ukraine | $81.4bn | 31.1% | 2.8% | 67.8% |
| 9 | France | $67.7bn | 2.1% | 2.3% | 70.2% |
| 10 | Japan | $62.5bn | 1.9% | 2.2% | 72.3% |
See the full ranked list in the 2026 world rankings.
03 Why five countries account for 58.9% of global spending
The top five spenders — the United States, China, Russia, Germany and India — together account for 58.9% of the $2,894.4bn world total. That concentration reflects a mix of large economies (the US and China), a state at war (Russia, spending 6.3% of its GDP), and two countries whose 2026 budgets rose alongside broader European defense commitments (Germany at 2.8% of GDP) and regional security pressures (India at 2.3% of GDP). Beyond the top five, spending drops off sharply: the sixth-largest spender, the United Kingdom, contributes just 3.2% of the world total on its own.
04 The United States' 33.7% share in context
At $975.6bn, the United States spends more on its military than China and Russia combined ($517.9bn). Its 33.7% share of the $2,894.4bn world total is roughly 2.8 times China's 12.2% share, the next-largest. In relative terms, US military spending equals 3.4% of its own GDP — lower than Russia's 6.3%, Saudi Arabia's 6.3%, or Ukraine's 31.1%, but applied to a far larger economy, which is why the US dollar figure dominates the global total even at a comparatively modest share of national output.
05 What this total does and doesn't include
The $2,894.4bn figure is our calculation from SIPRI country-level data, not SIPRI's own published total. It is produced by summing the 2026 series for all 153 countries SIPRI reports that year, in constant 2024 US dollars. Because SIPRI does not maintain a series for every state — North Korea is a notable absence, and several other countries have data gaps in certain years — the total is a floor on true global spending, not an exhaustive census of it.
Figures are in SIPRI constant 2024 US dollars. 2026 is an estimate year in SIPRI's dataset, so both the world total and individual country figures shown here may be revised as SIPRI updates its series.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much did the world spend on the military in 2026?
- An estimated $2,894.4bn, based on our calculation summing SIPRI's 2026 country-level data for 153 countries.
- What share of global military spending is the United States?
- The United States accounted for 33.7% of the $2,894.4bn world total in 2026, spending $975.6bn.
- Which countries account for most of global military spending?
- The top five — United States, China, Russia, Germany and India — account for 58.9% of the $2,894.4bn world total. The top 10 account for 72.3%.
- Does the $2,894.4bn total include every country in the world?
- No. It sums the 153 countries SIPRI reports for 2026; some spenders, including North Korea, have no SIPRI series and are excluded, so the total is a floor rather than a complete global figure.
defensebudget.org
Defense spending data, sourced from SIPRI
defensebudget.org tracks military expenditure for 160 countries using the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database. Pages are generated from that dataset and reviewed before publication.