Papua New Guinea Military Spending
Papua New Guinea spends an estimated 0.3% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $109 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1975–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$112 million
Ranked #137 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
0.3%
Ranked #158 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+2.8%
From $109M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$157 million
Reached in 1994
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Papua New Guinea’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 Papua New Guinea run to 2025.
Papua New Guinea Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Papua New Guinea is estimated to have spent $112 million on military and defense, representing 0.3% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Papua New Guinea is the #137 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 2.8%, from $109 million to $112 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 1.6% in 1976. The historical average military budget is 0.7% 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) | 0.34% | $116M |
| 2026(estimate) | 0.34% | $112M |
| 2025 | 0.35% | $109M |
| 2024 | 0.31% | $92M |
| 2023 | 0.35% | $95M |
| 2022 | 0.42% | $125M |
| 2021 | 0.33% | $85M |
| 2020 | 0.39% | $95M |
| 2019 | 0.36% | $94M |
| 2018 | 0.33% | $84M |
| 2017 | 0.36% | $86M |
| 2016 | 0.38% | $87M |
| 2015 | 0.46% | $104M |
| 2014 | 0.48% | $110M |
| 2013 | 0.49% | $99M |
| 2012 | 0.52% | $101M |
| 2011 | 0.36% | $70M |
| 2010 | 0.33% | $61M |
| 2009 | 0.45% | $73M |
| 2008 | 0.34% | $58M |
| 2007 | 0.41% | $70M |
| 2006 | 0.38% | $58M |
| 2005 | 0.42% | $59M |
| 2004 | 0.39% | $50M |
| 2003 | 0.35% | $45M |
| 2002 | 0.37% | $49M |
| 2001 | 0.55% | $71M |
| 2000 | 0.64% | $85M |
| 1999 | 0.69% | $96M |
| 1998 | 0.88% | $124M |
| 1997 | 1.08% | $157M |
| 1996 | 1.02% | $148M |
| 1995 | 0.78% | $115M |
| 1994 | 1.01% | $157M |
| 1993 | 0.92% | $129M |
| 1992 | 0.89% | $114M |
| 1991 | 0.92% | $105M |
| 1990 | 1.42% | $147M |
| 1989 | 1.50% | $109M |
| 1988 | 1.27% | $101M |
| 1987 | 1.61% | $102M |
| 1986 | 1.56% | $99M |
| 1985 | 1.56% | $99M |
| 1981 | 1.41% | $94M |
| 1980 | 1.40% | $103M |
| 1979 | 1.21% | $95M |
| 1978 | 1.27% | $91M |
| 1977 | 1.25% | $87M |
| 1976 | 1.63% | $90M |
| 1975 | 0.60% | $34M |