Bolivia Military Spending
Bolivia spends an estimated 1.2% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $570 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1953–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$587 million
Ranked #101 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
1.2%
Ranked #112 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+3.0%
From $570M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$912 million
Reached in 2010
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Bolivia’s last 3 reported years (2023–2025), carried across both estimate years unchanged. The dollar figure is not a per-country forecast — it is the actual SIPRI figure for 2025 raised by a flat 3%, the same rate applied to every country in this group, so it can rise even where the share-of-GDP path falls. Actual SIPRI figures for Bolivia run to 2025.
Bolivia Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Bolivia is estimated to have spent $587 million on military and defense, representing 1.2% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Bolivia is the #101 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 3.0%, from $570 million to $587 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 3.9% in 1981. The historical average military budget is 1.8% of GDP.
Data source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database. Values are in constant 2024 US dollars. Data for 2026 is an estimate based on government budget announcements.
Historical Military Spending
Military Spending (% of GDP)
Military Spending (USD Billions, 2024 prices)
Historical Data
| Year | Percent of GDP | USD (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 2027(estimate) | 1.24% | $604M |
| 2026(estimate) | 1.24% | $587M |
| 2025 | 1.21% | $570M |
| 2024 | 1.22% | $571M |
| 2023 | 1.30% | $614M |
| 2022 | 0.97% | $458M |
| 2021 | 1.33% | $583M |
| 2020 | 1.39% | $559M |
| 2019 | 1.45% | $657M |
| 2018 | 1.50% | $680M |
| 2017 | 1.54% | $664M |
| 2016 | 1.53% | $616M |
| 2015 | 1.76% | $713M |
| 2014 | 1.90% | $800M |
| 2013 | 1.84% | $763M |
| 2012 | 1.85% | $714M |
| 2011 | 1.68% | $605M |
| 2010 | 2.79% | $912M |
| 2009 | 1.76% | $522M |
| 2008 | 2.19% | $666M |
| 2007 | 1.49% | $440M |
| 2006 | 1.47% | $420M |
| 2005 | 1.72% | $430M |
| 2004 | 1.90% | $453M |
| 2003 | 2.15% | $475M |
| 2002 | 1.99% | $417M |
| 2001 | 2.32% | $466M |
| 2000 | 2.06% | $406M |
| 1999 | 2.13% | $408M |
| 1998 | 2.69% | $511M |
| 1997 | 2.27% | $413M |
| 1996 | 1.99% | $341M |
| 1995 | 2.10% | $347M |
| 1994 | 2.25% | $352M |
| 1993 | 1.92% | $286M |
| 1992 | 2.51% | $366M |
| 1991 | 2.69% | $382M |
| 1990 | 2.82% | $392M |
| 1989 | 2.16% | $289M |
| 1988 | 2.02% | $266M |
| 1987 | 2.38% | $300M |
| 1986 | 2.35% | $289M |
| 1985 | 2.01% | $351M |
| 1984 | 2.17% | $327M |
| 1983 | 1.50% | $208M |
| 1982 | 1.98% | $297M |
| 1981 | 3.90% | $490M |
| 1980 | 3.17% | $431M |
| 1979 | 2.71% | $398M |
| 1978 | 2.60% | $381M |
| 1977 | 2.25% | $315M |
| 1976 | 2.37% | $311M |
| 1975 | 2.37% | $283M |
| 1974 | 1.84% | $209M |
| 1973 | 1.62% | $181M |
| 1972 | 1.60% | $155M |
| 1971 | 1.39% | $113M |
| 1970 | 1.61% | $124M |
| 1969 | 1.32% | $94M |
| 1968 | 1.35% | $91M |
| 1963 | 1.33% | $71M |
| 1962 | 1.16% | $57M |
| 1961 | 1.20% | $58M |
| 1957 | 0.82% | $35M |
| 1956 | 0.36% | $31M |
| 1955 | 0.32% | $42M |
| 1953 | 0.53% | $61M |