Ethiopia Military Spending
Ethiopia spends an estimated 0.6% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $785 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1961–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$809 million
Ranked #88 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
0.6%
Ranked #151 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+3.1%
From $785M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$1.9 billion
Reached in 1999
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Ethiopia’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 Ethiopia run to 2025.
Ethiopia Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Ethiopia is estimated to have spent $809 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. Ethiopia is the #88 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 3.1%, from $785 million to $809 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 10.3% in 1989. The historical average military budget is 3.4% 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) | 0.58% | $832M |
| 2026(estimate) | 0.58% | $809M |
| 2025 | 0.49% | $785M |
| 2024 | 0.49% | $700M |
| 2023 | 0.77% | $982M |
| 2022 | 0.86% | $1,011M |
| 2021 | 0.44% | $492M |
| 2020 | 0.47% | $510M |
| 2019 | 0.56% | $585M |
| 2018 | 0.63% | $628M |
| 2017 | 0.68% | $636M |
| 2016 | 0.68% | $610M |
| 2015 | 0.67% | $531M |
| 2014 | 0.73% | $515M |
| 2013 | 0.81% | $497M |
| 2012 | 0.87% | $496M |
| 2011 | 1.06% | $514M |
| 2010 | 1.11% | $528M |
| 2009 | 1.20% | $544M |
| 2008 | 1.53% | $553M |
| 2007 | 1.91% | $693M |
| 2006 | 2.31% | $751M |
| 2005 | 2.81% | $832M |
| 2004 | 3.13% | $829M |
| 2003 | 3.30% | $764M |
| 2002 | 3.76% | $897M |
| 2001 | 4.39% | $1,079M |
| 2000 | 7.69% | $1,698M |
| 1999 | 9.51% | $1,883M |
| 1998 | 7.28% | $1,187M |
| 1997 | 3.34% | $555M |
| 1996 | 2.12% | $302M |
| 1995 | 2.23% | $259M |
| 1994 | 2.87% | $307M |
| 1993 | 3.07% | $333M |
| 1992 | 3.44% | $302M |
| 1991 | 5.71% | $510M |
| 1990 | 9.66% | $1,027M |
| 1989 | 10.28% | $1,075M |
| 1988 | 8.50% | $912M |
| 1987 | 6.86% | $757M |
| 1986 | 6.70% | $681M |
| 1985 | 6.82% | $600M |
| 1984 | 7.97% | $704M |
| 1983 | 7.18% | $737M |
| 1982 | 7.54% | $694M |
| 1981 | 7.54% | $697M |
| 1980 | 8.71% | $724M |
| 1979 | 6.89% | $582M |
| 1978 | 4.81% | $435M |
| 1977 | 3.97% | $377M |
| 1976 | 4.13% | $417M |
| 1975 | 4.49% | $524M |
| 1974 | 2.79% | $333M |
| 1973 | 1.93% | $238M |
| 1972 | 1.94% | $241M |
| 1971 | 1.91% | $216M |
| 1970 | 1.88% | $208M |
| 1969 | 2.02% | $228M |
| 1968 | 2.20% | $233M |
| 1967 | 2.49% | $249M |
| 1966 | 3.11% | $295M |
| 1965 | 3.23% | $287M |
| 1964 | 2.92% | — |
| 1963 | 2.43% | — |
| 1962 | 1.93% | — |
| 1961 | 1.86% | — |