Burundi Military Spending
Burundi spends an estimated 3.4% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $169 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1962–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$174 million
Ranked #129 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
3.4%
Ranked #28 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+3.0%
From $169M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$172 million
Reached in 2024
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Burundi’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 Burundi run to 2025.
Burundi Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Burundi is estimated to have spent $174 million on military and defense, representing 3.4% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Burundi is the #129 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 3.0%, from $169 million to $174 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 6.6% in 1998. The historical average military budget is 3.1% 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) | 3.41% | $179M |
| 2026(estimate) | 3.41% | $174M |
| 2025 | 3.24% | $169M |
| 2024 | 3.56% | $172M |
| 2023 | 3.43% | $156M |
| 2022 | 2.60% | $110M |
| 2021 | 2.04% | $85M |
| 2020 | 2.18% | $88M |
| 2019 | 2.81% | $114M |
| 2018 | 2.15% | $85M |
| 2017 | 2.00% | $78M |
| 2016 | 2.24% | $90M |
| 2015 | 2.13% | $90M |
| 2014 | 2.30% | $88M |
| 2013 | 2.48% | $90M |
| 2012 | 2.53% | $87M |
| 2008 | 2.72% | $82M |
| 2007 | 3.41% | $98M |
| 2006 | 3.51% | $97M |
| 2005 | 4.44% | $116M |
| 2004 | 4.90% | $122M |
| 2003 | 5.53% | $125M |
| 2002 | 5.44% | $123M |
| 2001 | 6.07% | $128M |
| 2000 | 4.86% | $97M |
| 1999 | 6.26% | $113M |
| 1998 | 6.57% | $107M |
| 1997 | 6.36% | $100M |
| 1996 | 5.86% | $93M |
| 1995 | 4.21% | $80M |
| 1994 | 3.92% | $96M |
| 1993 | 3.72% | $92M |
| 1992 | 3.60% | $93M |
| 1991 | 3.79% | $90M |
| 1990 | 3.45% | $88M |
| 1989 | 3.35% | $84M |
| 1988 | 3.15% | $75M |
| 1987 | 2.65% | $62M |
| 1986 | 2.81% | $69M |
| 1985 | 2.75% | $69M |
| 1984 | 2.98% | $66M |
| 1983 | 3.10% | $67M |
| 1982 | 3.51% | $75M |
| 1981 | 3.03% | $65M |
| 1980 | 2.92% | $67M |
| 1979 | 2.64% | $50M |
| 1978 | 2.80% | $58M |
| 1977 | 2.53% | $59M |
| 1976 | 2.22% | $43M |
| 1975 | 2.06% | $36M |
| 1974 | 2.23% | $38M |
| 1973 | 1.95% | $34M |
| 1972 | 1.46% | $24M |
| 1971 | 1.03% | $18M |
| 1969 | 1.75% | $24M |
| 1968 | 1.41% | $19M |
| 1967 | 1.33% | $19M |
| 1966 | 1.38% | $18M |
| 1965 | 1.35% | $17M |
| 1964 | 0.45% | — |
| 1963 | 0.43% | — |
| 1962 | 3.94% | — |