Eswatini Military Spending
Eswatini spends an estimated 1.6% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $88 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1977–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$91 million
Ranked #140 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
1.6%
Ranked #95 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+3.4%
From $88M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$91 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 Eswatini’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 Eswatini run to 2025.
Eswatini Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Eswatini is estimated to have spent $91 million on military and defense, representing 1.6% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Eswatini is the #140 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 3.4%, from $88 million to $91 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 2.5% in 1979. 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) | 1.60% | $93M |
| 2026(estimate) | 1.60% | $91M |
| 2025 | 1.60% | $88M |
| 2024 | 1.54% | $83M |
| 2023 | 1.66% | $87M |
| 2022 | 1.65% | $81M |
| 2021 | 1.68% | $76M |
| 2020 | 1.86% | $82M |
| 2019 | 1.89% | $84M |
| 2018 | 2.10% | $88M |
| 2017 | 1.92% | $84M |
| 2016 | 2.07% | $91M |
| 2015 | 1.75% | $78M |
| 2014 | 1.82% | $77M |
| 2013 | 1.95% | $76M |
| 2012 | 1.91% | $72M |
| 2011 | 2.22% | $82M |
| 2010 | 2.37% | $84M |
| 2009 | 2.09% | $75M |
| 2008 | 2.00% | $69M |
| 2007 | 1.64% | $62M |
| 2006 | 1.67% | $61M |
| 2005 | 2.03% | $61M |
| 2004 | 1.58% | $47M |
| 2003 | 1.48% | $42M |
| 2002 | 1.39% | $36M |
| 2001 | 1.26% | $36M |
| 2000 | 1.46% | $38M |
| 1999 | 1.68% | $39M |
| 1998 | 1.65% | $37M |
| 1997 | 1.49% | $33M |
| 1996 | 1.65% | $35M |
| 1995 | 1.69% | $34M |
| 1994 | 1.82% | $33M |
| 1993 | 1.75% | $32M |
| 1992 | 1.63% | $28M |
| 1991 | 1.38% | $22M |
| 1990 | 1.28% | $20M |
| 1989 | 1.25% | $14M |
| 1988 | 1.26% | $13M |
| 1987 | 1.43% | $14M |
| 1986 | 1.63% | $15M |
| 1985 | 1.84% | $15M |
| 1984 | 2.03% | $17M |
| 1983 | 2.26% | $18M |
| 1982 | 2.20% | $19M |
| 1981 | 2.17% | $19M |
| 1980 | 2.42% | $21M |
| 1979 | 2.46% | $21M |
| 1978 | 2.43% | $21M |
| 1977 | 1.78% | $15M |