Gambia Military Spending
Gambia spends an estimated 0.6% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $15 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1983–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$15 million
Ranked #153 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
0.6%
Ranked #150 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+0.0%
From $15M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$21 million
Reached in 2014
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Gambia’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 Gambia run to 2025.
Gambia Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Gambia is estimated to have spent $15 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. Gambia is the #153 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 0.0%, from $15 million to $15 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 1.2% in 2014. The historical average military budget is 0.5% 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) | 0.59% | $16M |
| 2026(estimate) | 0.59% | $15M |
| 2025 | 0.57% | $15M |
| 2024 | 0.60% | $15M |
| 2023 | 0.60% | $15M |
| 2022 | 0.71% | $16M |
| 2021 | 0.78% | $18M |
| 2020 | 0.82% | $18M |
| 2019 | 0.80% | $18M |
| 2018 | 0.69% | $14M |
| 2015 | 1.01% | $19M |
| 2014 | 1.19% | $21M |
| 2013 | 0.75% | $14M |
| 2012 | 0.79% | $14M |
| 2009 | 0.48% | $8M |
| 2008 | 1.09% | $18M |
| 2007 | 0.36% | $5M |
| 2006 | 0.26% | $4M |
| 2005 | 0.28% | $4M |
| 2004 | 0.19% | $3M |
| 2003 | 0.23% | $4M |
| 2002 | 0.24% | $3M |
| 2001 | 0.23% | $3M |
| 2000 | 0.32% | $4M |
| 1999 | 0.33% | $3M |
| 1998 | 0.38% | $4M |
| 1997 | 0.41% | $4M |
| 1996 | 0.40% | $3M |
| 1995 | 0.30% | $3M |
| 1994 | 0.26% | $2M |
| 1993 | 0.28% | $2M |
| 1992 | 0.41% | $3M |
| 1991 | 0.50% | $4M |
| 1990 | 0.46% | $3M |
| 1989 | 0.96% | $3M |
| 1988 | 0.81% | $2M |
| 1987 | 0.63% | $2M |
| 1986 | 0.56% | $2M |
| 1985 | 0.55% | $2M |
| 1984 | 0.48% | $1M |
| 1983 | 0.34% | $1M |