Guatemala Military Spending
Guatemala spends an estimated 0.5% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $616 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1955–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$634 million
Ranked #94 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
0.5%
Ranked #155 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+2.9%
From $616M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$837 million
Reached in 1984
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Guatemala’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 Guatemala run to 2025.
Guatemala Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Guatemala is estimated to have spent $634 million on military and defense, representing 0.5% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Guatemala is the #94 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 2.9%, from $616 million to $634 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 2.2% in 1984. The historical average military budget is 1.0% 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) | 0.45% | $653M |
| 2026(estimate) | 0.45% | $634M |
| 2025 | 0.52% | $616M |
| 2024 | 0.40% | $453M |
| 2023 | 0.42% | $454M |
| 2022 | 0.46% | $482M |
| 2021 | 0.39% | $393M |
| 2020 | 0.44% | $415M |
| 2019 | 0.43% | $414M |
| 2018 | 0.37% | $345M |
| 2017 | 0.38% | $352M |
| 2016 | 0.44% | $402M |
| 2015 | 0.41% | $367M |
| 2014 | 0.42% | $370M |
| 2013 | 0.47% | $395M |
| 2012 | 0.48% | $369M |
| 2011 | 0.46% | $335M |
| 2010 | 0.44% | $317M |
| 2009 | 0.40% | $289M |
| 2008 | 0.47% | $308M |
| 2007 | 0.40% | $284M |
| 2006 | 0.43% | $289M |
| 2005 | 0.38% | $248M |
| 2004 | 0.48% | $309M |
| 2003 | 0.82% | $517M |
| 2002 | 0.76% | $477M |
| 2001 | 1.05% | $643M |
| 2000 | 0.92% | $547M |
| 1999 | 0.68% | $432M |
| 1998 | 0.72% | $445M |
| 1997 | 0.74% | $425M |
| 1996 | 0.90% | $496M |
| 1995 | 1.08% | $592M |
| 1994 | 1.18% | $614M |
| 1993 | 1.27% | $630M |
| 1992 | 1.47% | $688M |
| 1991 | 1.27% | $571M |
| 1990 | 1.73% | $752M |
| 1989 | 1.80% | $764M |
| 1988 | 1.87% | $766M |
| 1987 | 1.75% | $685M |
| 1986 | 1.67% | $656M |
| 1985 | 2.01% | $763M |
| 1984 | 2.19% | $837M |
| 1983 | 2.04% | $769M |
| 1982 | 2.03% | $770M |
| 1981 | 1.89% | $712M |
| 1980 | 1.32% | $506M |
| 1979 | 1.31% | $487M |
| 1978 | 1.18% | $431M |
| 1977 | 1.37% | $490M |
| 1976 | 1.27% | $406M |
| 1975 | 1.23% | $364M |
| 1974 | 0.90% | $260M |
| 1973 | 0.91% | $250M |
| 1972 | 1.14% | $292M |
| 1971 | 1.12% | $271M |
| 1970 | 1.70% | $393M |
| 1969 | 1.03% | $219M |
| 1968 | 1.27% | $259M |
| 1967 | 1.46% | $274M |
| 1966 | 1.37% | $249M |
| 1965 | 1.40% | $244M |
| 1964 | 1.00% | $169M |
| 1963 | 1.17% | $192M |
| 1962 | 1.05% | $155M |
| 1961 | 1.12% | $160M |
| 1960 | 1.16% | $159M |
| 1959 | 1.27% | $171M |
| 1958 | 1.24% | $157M |
| 1957 | 1.30% | $160M |
| 1956 | 1.27% | $148M |
| 1955 | 1.31% | $140M |