Tanzania Military Spending
Tanzania spends an estimated 1.2% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $983 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1967–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$1.0 billion
Ranked #84 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
1.2%
Ranked #117 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+3.0%
From $983M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$983 million
Reached in 2025
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Tanzania’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 Tanzania run to 2025.
Tanzania Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Tanzania is estimated to have spent $1.0 billion on military and defense, representing 1.2% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Tanzania is the #84 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 3.0%, from $983 million to $1.0 billion. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 10.1% in 1978. The historical average military budget is 2.4% 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) | 1.19% | $1,042M |
| 2026(estimate) | 1.19% | $1,012M |
| 2025 | 1.16% | $983M |
| 2024 | 1.17% | $929M |
| 2023 | 1.23% | $909M |
| 2022 | 1.19% | $838M |
| 2021 | 1.12% | $753M |
| 2020 | 1.08% | $698M |
| 2019 | 1.06% | $657M |
| 2018 | 1.10% | $650M |
| 2017 | 1.06% | $618M |
| 2016 | 1.09% | $615M |
| 2015 | 1.09% | $562M |
| 2014 | 1.02% | $484M |
| 2013 | 0.97% | $434M |
| 2012 | 0.91% | $376M |
| 2011 | 0.90% | $370M |
| 2010 | 0.90% | $344M |
| 2009 | 0.76% | $265M |
| 2008 | 0.70% | $238M |
| 2007 | 0.76% | $234M |
| 2006 | 0.79% | $224M |
| 2005 | 0.82% | $205M |
| 2004 | 0.99% | $190M |
| 2003 | 1.07% | $186M |
| 2002 | 1.30% | $205M |
| 2001 | 1.45% | $210M |
| 2000 | 1.49% | $180M |
| 1999 | 1.49% | $169M |
| 1998 | 1.60% | $170M |
| 1997 | 1.54% | $156M |
| 1996 | 1.56% | $146M |
| 1995 | 1.63% | $148M |
| 1994 | 1.29% | $114M |
| 1993 | 1.38% | $123M |
| 1992 | 2.11% | $186M |
| 1991 | 2.18% | $187M |
| 1990 | 2.05% | $172M |
| 1989 | 2.38% | $208M |
| 1988 | 2.45% | $215M |
| 1987 | 3.15% | $236M |
| 1986 | 5.74% | $252M |
| 1985 | 5.39% | $236M |
| 1984 | 5.25% | $234M |
| 1983 | 5.41% | $263M |
| 1982 | 5.50% | $307M |
| 1981 | 5.58% | $319M |
| 1980 | 4.52% | $278M |
| 1979 | 8.50% | $587M |
| 1978 | 10.11% | $699M |
| 1977 | 5.48% | $362M |
| 1976 | 4.69% | $293M |
| 1975 | 5.36% | $278M |
| 1974 | 5.36% | $295M |
| 1973 | 4.17% | $225M |
| 1972 | 3.43% | $174M |
| 1971 | 3.10% | $149M |
| 1970 | 2.30% | $108M |
| 1969 | 1.73% | $76M |
| 1968 | 1.47% | $72M |
| 1967 | 1.42% | $75M |