Botswana Military Spending
Botswana spends an estimated 2.5% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $595 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1977–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$613 million
Ranked #96 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
2.5%
Ranked #51 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+3.0%
From $595M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$597 million
Reached in 2016
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Botswana’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 Botswana run to 2025.
Botswana Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Botswana is estimated to have spent $613 million on military and defense, representing 2.5% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Botswana is the #96 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 3.0%, from $595 million to $613 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 4.9% in 1993. The historical average military budget is 3.2% 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) | 2.53% | $631M |
| 2026(estimate) | 2.53% | $613M |
| 2025 | 3.11% | $595M |
| 2024 | 2.68% | $519M |
| 2023 | 1.80% | $360M |
| 2022 | 2.52% | $505M |
| 2021 | 3.05% | $529M |
| 2020 | 3.33% | $544M |
| 2019 | 3.08% | $538M |
| 2018 | 2.92% | $507M |
| 2017 | 3.25% | $558M |
| 2016 | 3.41% | $597M |
| 2015 | 2.83% | $426M |
| 2014 | 2.21% | $351M |
| 2013 | 2.15% | $303M |
| 2012 | 2.34% | $311M |
| 2011 | 2.40% | $333M |
| 2010 | 2.76% | $345M |
| 2009 | 3.26% | $368M |
| 2008 | 3.10% | $382M |
| 2007 | 2.90% | $356M |
| 2006 | 2.75% | $323M |
| 2005 | 2.86% | $328M |
| 2004 | 3.51% | $362M |
| 2003 | 4.01% | $392M |
| 2002 | 4.11% | $406M |
| 2001 | 3.83% | $381M |
| 2000 | 3.19% | $311M |
| 1999 | 3.09% | $281M |
| 1998 | 3.78% | $296M |
| 1997 | 3.20% | $242M |
| 1996 | 2.90% | $210M |
| 1995 | 3.51% | $227M |
| 1994 | 4.01% | $250M |
| 1993 | 4.93% | $271M |
| 1992 | 4.48% | $259M |
| 1991 | 4.60% | $279M |
| 1990 | 4.45% | $260M |
| 1989 | 3.57% | $207M |
| 1988 | 4.90% | $191M |
| 1987 | 4.79% | $149M |
| 1986 | 2.66% | $85M |
| 1985 | 2.18% | $58M |
| 1984 | 2.44% | $53M |
| 1983 | 2.33% | $46M |
| 1982 | 2.69% | $46M |
| 1981 | 2.98% | $55M |
| 1980 | 3.21% | $60M |
| 1979 | 3.50% | $55M |
| 1978 | 2.87% | $37M |
| 1977 | 1.36% | $16M |