Lebanon Military Spending
Lebanon spends an estimated 3.2% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $736 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1964–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$773 million
Ranked #89 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
3.2%
Ranked #34 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+5.0%
From $736M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$3.0 billion
Reached in 2016
How the 2026 figures are produced. The share-of-GDP figure is a per-country estimate researched from announced and enacted national defence budgets. The dollar figure is not a per-country forecast — it is the actual SIPRI figure for 2025 raised by a flat 5%, 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 Lebanon run to 2025.
Lebanon Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Lebanon is estimated to have spent $773 million on military and defense, representing 3.2% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Lebanon is the #89 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 5.0%, from $736 million to $773 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 13.5% in 1983. The historical average military budget is 5.2% 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) | 3.20% | $810M |
| 2026(estimate) | 3.20% | $773M |
| 2025 | 2.51% | $736M |
| 2024 | 2.25% | $635M |
| 2023 | 1.20% | $400M |
| 2022 | 1.01% | $345M |
| 2021 | 1.18% | $407M |
| 2020 | 3.03% | $1,041M |
| 2019 | 4.74% | $2,526M |
| 2018 | 5.06% | $2,864M |
| 2017 | 4.60% | $2,672M |
| 2016 | 5.10% | $2,977M |
| 2015 | 4.49% | $2,537M |
| 2014 | 4.72% | $2,476M |
| 2013 | 4.13% | $2,150M |
| 2012 | 3.99% | $2,046M |
| 2011 | 4.07% | $2,018M |
| 2010 | 4.12% | $2,065M |
| 2009 | 4.03% | $1,932M |
| 2008 | 4.02% | $1,603M |
| 2007 | 4.64% | $1,749M |
| 2006 | 4.58% | $1,594M |
| 2005 | 4.48% | $1,605M |
| 2004 | 4.51% | $1,581M |
| 2003 | 4.68% | $1,555M |
| 2002 | 4.75% | $1,547M |
| 2001 | 5.45% | $1,663M |
| 2000 | 5.39% | $1,608M |
| 1999 | 4.77% | $1,429M |
| 1998 | 4.02% | $1,205M |
| 1997 | 4.31% | $1,250M |
| 1996 | 5.66% | $1,491M |
| 1995 | 6.71% | $1,700M |
| 1994 | 7.00% | $1,659M |
| 1993 | 6.01% | $1,323M |
| 1992 | 7.98% | $1,586M |
| 1991 | 5.15% | $890M |
| 1990 | 7.55% | $935M |
| 1988 | 1.19% | $294M |
| 1987 | 1.12% | $387M |
| 1986 | 5.26% | $1,553M |
| 1985 | 6.29% | $1,991M |
| 1984 | 10.97% | $2,791M |
| 1983 | 13.46% | $2,368M |
| 1982 | 9.29% | $1,330M |
| 1981 | 9.58% | $2,191M |
| 1980 | 12.36% | $2,786M |
| 1979 | 10.07% | — |
| 1978 | 8.49% | — |
| 1977 | 4.73% | — |
| 1976 | 12.12% | — |
| 1973 | 3.82% | — |
| 1972 | 5.09% | — |
| 1971 | 4.00% | — |
| 1970 | 4.34% | — |
| 1969 | 4.64% | — |
| 1968 | 4.84% | — |
| 1967 | 4.84% | — |
| 1966 | 4.16% | — |
| 1965 | 3.89% | — |
| 1964 | 3.66% | — |