Uruguay Military Spending
Uruguay spends an estimated 2.1% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $1.9 billion (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1972–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$2.0 billion
Ranked #66 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
2.1%
Ranked #81 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+3.0%
From $1.9B in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$2.2 billion
Reached in 1981
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Uruguay’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 Uruguay run to 2025.
Uruguay Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Uruguay is estimated to have spent $2.0 billion on military and defense, representing 2.1% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Uruguay is the #66 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 3.0%, from $1.9 billion to $2.0 billion. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 6.5% in 1982. The historical average military budget is 2.8% 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) | 2.06% | $2,025M |
| 2026(estimate) | 2.06% | $1,967M |
| 2025 | 2.28% | $1,910M |
| 2024 | 1.96% | $1,583M |
| 2023 | 1.94% | $1,529M |
| 2022 | 1.84% | $1,476M |
| 2021 | 2.05% | $1,635M |
| 2020 | 2.04% | $1,487M |
| 2019 | 1.86% | $1,450M |
| 2018 | 1.95% | $1,501M |
| 2017 | 1.79% | $1,381M |
| 2016 | 1.72% | $1,308M |
| 2015 | 1.77% | $1,276M |
| 2014 | 1.74% | $1,258M |
| 2013 | 1.69% | $1,219M |
| 2012 | 1.61% | $1,162M |
| 2011 | 1.72% | $1,065M |
| 2010 | 1.88% | $1,096M |
| 2009 | 1.82% | $1,004M |
| 2008 | 1.87% | $982M |
| 2007 | 1.78% | $870M |
| 2006 | 2.01% | $911M |
| 2005 | 2.00% | $871M |
| 2004 | 2.04% | $860M |
| 2003 | 2.24% | $890M |
| 2002 | 2.53% | $1,023M |
| 2001 | 2.50% | $1,110M |
| 2000 | 2.44% | $1,118M |
| 1999 | 2.39% | $1,134M |
| 1998 | 2.26% | $1,105M |
| 1997 | 2.40% | $1,108M |
| 1996 | 2.81% | $1,121M |
| 1995 | 2.71% | $1,043M |
| 1994 | 2.58% | $1,014M |
| 1993 | 2.79% | $1,066M |
| 1992 | 2.85% | $1,104M |
| 1991 | 2.39% | $908M |
| 1990 | 3.53% | $1,300M |
| 1989 | 3.53% | $1,331M |
| 1988 | 3.16% | $1,210M |
| 1987 | 3.04% | $1,063M |
| 1986 | 4.12% | $1,264M |
| 1985 | 4.30% | $1,251M |
| 1984 | 4.58% | $1,297M |
| 1983 | 5.38% | $1,534M |
| 1982 | 6.45% | $2,012M |
| 1981 | 6.26% | $2,210M |
| 1980 | 4.70% | $1,674M |
| 1979 | 3.80% | $1,384M |
| 1978 | 3.62% | $1,181M |
| 1977 | 3.75% | $1,137M |
| 1976 | 3.48% | $1,061M |
| 1975 | 4.29% | $1,271M |
| 1974 | 4.53% | $1,357M |
| 1973 | 3.76% | $1,126M |
| 1972 | 2.20% | $628M |