Timor-Leste Military Spending
Timor-Leste spends an estimated 2.4% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $47 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (2005–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$48 million
Ranked #144 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
2.4%
Ranked #59 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+2.1%
From $47M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$70 million
Reached in 2009
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Timor-Leste’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 Timor-Leste run to 2025.
Timor-Leste Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Timor-Leste is estimated to have spent $48 million on military and defense, representing 2.4% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Timor-Leste is the #144 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 2.1%, from $47 million to $48 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 5.0% in 2009. 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) | 2.35% | $50M |
| 2026(estimate) | 2.35% | $48M |
| 2025 | 2.25% | $47M |
| 2024 | 2.15% | $43M |
| 2023 | 2.65% | $56M |
| 2022 | 1.38% | $49M |
| 2021 | 1.08% | $46M |
| 2020 | 1.78% | $47M |
| 2019 | 1.69% | $42M |
| 2018 | 1.32% | $26M |
| 2017 | 1.61% | $32M |
| 2016 | 1.60% | $34M |
| 2015 | 2.32% | $47M |
| 2014 | 2.05% | $38M |
| 2013 | 2.27% | $41M |
| 2012 | 2.88% | $47M |
| 2011 | 1.97% | $33M |
| 2010 | 2.99% | $48M |
| 2009 | 5.02% | $70M |
| 2008 | 3.65% | $46M |
| 2007 | 4.37% | $50M |
| 2006 | 3.77% | $40M |
| 2005 | 1.78% | $20M |