Cape Verde Military Spending
Cape Verde spends an estimated 0.6% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $19 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1984–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$20 million
Ranked #152 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
0.6%
Ranked #148 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+5.3%
From $19M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$19 million
Reached in 2025
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Cape Verde’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 Cape Verde run to 2025.
Cape Verde Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Cape Verde is estimated to have spent $20 million on military and defense, representing 0.6% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Cape Verde is the #152 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 5.3%, from $19 million to $20 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 2.8% in 1984. The historical average military budget is 0.9% 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) | 0.62% | $20M |
| 2026(estimate) | 0.62% | $20M |
| 2025 | 0.66% | $19M |
| 2024 | 0.62% | $17M |
| 2023 | 0.57% | $14M |
| 2022 | 0.46% | $11M |
| 2021 | 0.55% | $12M |
| 2020 | 0.62% | $12M |
| 2019 | 0.43% | $11M |
| 2018 | 0.49% | $12M |
| 2017 | 0.47% | $11M |
| 2016 | 0.55% | $12M |
| 2015 | 0.51% | $10M |
| 2014 | 0.49% | $10M |
| 2013 | 0.48% | $9M |
| 2012 | 0.51% | $10M |
| 2011 | 0.48% | $9M |
| 2010 | 0.45% | $9M |
| 2009 | 0.45% | $9M |
| 2008 | 0.55% | $10M |
| 2007 | 0.48% | $9M |
| 2006 | 0.56% | $9M |
| 2005 | 0.65% | $10M |
| 2004 | 0.63% | $9M |
| 2003 | 0.65% | $8M |
| 2002 | 0.67% | $8M |
| 2001 | 0.75% | $9M |
| 2000 | 1.15% | $13M |
| 1999 | 0.84% | $8M |
| 1998 | 0.86% | $7M |
| 1997 | 0.83% | $6M |
| 1996 | 0.84% | $6M |
| 1995 | 1.27% | $9M |
| 1994 | 0.84% | $6M |
| 1993 | 0.76% | $5M |
| 1992 | 0.99% | $6M |
| 1988 | 1.91% | $11M |
| 1987 | 2.10% | $11M |
| 1986 | 2.34% | $12M |
| 1985 | 2.46% | $11M |
| 1984 | 2.79% | $12M |