Jamaica Military Spending
Jamaica spends an estimated 1.3% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $280 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1976–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$288 million
Ranked #116 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
1.3%
Ranked #107 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+2.9%
From $280M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$300 million
Reached in 2019
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Jamaica’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 Jamaica run to 2025.
Jamaica Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Jamaica is estimated to have spent $288 million on military and defense, representing 1.3% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Jamaica is the #116 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 2.9%, from $280 million to $288 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 1.7% in 2020. 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) | 1.32% | $297M |
| 2026(estimate) | 1.32% | $288M |
| 2025 | 1.37% | $280M |
| 2024 | 1.39% | $276M |
| 2023 | 1.19% | $229M |
| 2022 | 1.29% | $233M |
| 2021 | 1.47% | $246M |
| 2020 | 1.71% | $269M |
| 2019 | 1.68% | $300M |
| 2018 | 1.33% | $237M |
| 2017 | 0.97% | $168M |
| 2016 | 0.95% | $160M |
| 2015 | 0.87% | $141M |
| 2014 | 0.87% | $136M |
| 2013 | 0.90% | $141M |
| 2012 | 0.93% | $146M |
| 2011 | 0.93% | $147M |
| 2010 | 0.87% | $138M |
| 2009 | 0.95% | $156M |
| 2008 | 0.95% | $161M |
| 2007 | 0.65% | $119M |
| 2006 | 0.61% | $108M |
| 2005 | 0.53% | $90M |
| 2004 | 0.54% | $94M |
| 2003 | 0.58% | $101M |
| 2002 | 0.59% | $97M |
| 2001 | 0.50% | $80M |
| 2000 | 0.49% | $76M |
| 1999 | 0.51% | $77M |
| 1998 | 0.54% | $80M |
| 1997 | 0.66% | $98M |
| 1996 | 0.57% | $85M |
| 1995 | 0.54% | $86M |
| 1994 | 0.63% | $94M |
| 1993 | 0.82% | $125M |
| 1992 | 1.11% | $149M |
| 1991 | 0.76% | $94M |
| 1990 | 0.84% | $102M |
| 1989 | 0.93% | $106M |
| 1988 | 0.81% | $87M |
| 1987 | 0.77% | $77M |
| 1986 | 0.85% | $76M |
| 1985 | 0.89% | $71M |
| 1984 | 1.06% | $85M |
| 1983 | 1.39% | $106M |
| 1982 | 1.63% | $117M |
| 1981 | 1.51% | $104M |
| 1977 | 0.94% | $91M |
| 1976 | 0.93% | $90M |