Yemen Military Spending
Yemen spends an estimated 4.2% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $12.3 billion (2014).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1990–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$12.7 billion
Ranked #31 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
4.2%
Ranked #19 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+3.0%
From $12.3B in 2014
Historical Peak Spending
$16.9 billion
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 Yemen’s last 3 reported years (2012–2014), carried across both estimate years unchanged. The dollar figure is not a per-country forecast — it is the actual SIPRI figure for 2014 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 Yemen run to 2014.
Yemen Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Yemen is estimated to have spent $12.7 billion on military and defense, representing 4.2% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Yemen is the #31 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2014), defense spending increased by 3.0%, from $12.3 billion to $12.7 billion. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 8.4% in 1994. The historical average military budget is 5.5% 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) | 4.21% | $13,058M |
| 2026(estimate) | 4.21% | $12,689M |
| 2014 | 3.97% | $12,319M |
| 2013 | 4.08% | $12,811M |
| 2012 | 4.57% | $13,923M |
| 2011 | 4.93% | $15,198M |
| 2010 | 4.69% | $16,761M |
| 2009 | 5.65% | $16,888M |
| 2008 | 4.45% | $14,520M |
| 2007 | 4.85% | $15,106M |
| 2006 | 4.31% | $12,635M |
| 2005 | 4.87% | $13,504M |
| 2004 | 5.30% | $12,908M |
| 2003 | 6.85% | $15,824M |
| 2002 | 6.90% | $15,335M |
| 2001 | 5.48% | $12,108M |
| 2000 | 4.92% | $11,394M |
| 1999 | 5.17% | $10,159M |
| 1998 | 6.08% | $9,306M |
| 1997 | 5.81% | $10,198M |
| 1996 | 5.28% | $8,142M |
| 1995 | 6.35% | $9,495M |
| 1994 | 8.40% | $12,645M |
| 1993 | 7.06% | $12,326M |
| 1992 | 7.28% | $14,242M |
| 1991 | 7.01% | $14,501M |
| 1990 | 6.55% | $15,479M |