Data / Rankings / Military expenditure / EU countries

EU countries by military spending as a share of GDP

Bulgaria had the highest military spending as a share of GDP of 27 EU countries in 2019, at 3.2% of GDP. Ireland had the lowest, at 0.3% of GDP. The median was 1.3% of GDP. Source: the World Bank.

Highest3.2Bulgaria
Lowest0.3Ireland
Median1.327 EU countries

All EU countries, 2019

CSVChart (SVG)

BulgariaBulgaria: 3.2 % of GDP3.2GreeceGreece: 2.6 % of GDP2.6LatviaLatvia: 2.1 % of GDP2.1EstoniaEstonia: 2 % of GDP2LithuaniaLithuania: 2 % of GDP2PolandPoland: 2 % of GDP2FranceFrance: 1.9 % of GDP1.9RomaniaRomania: 1.8 % of GDP1.8CyprusCyprus: 1.8 % of GDP1.8SlovakiaSlovakia: 1.7 % of GDP1.7CroatiaCroatia: 1.6 % of GDP1.6PortugalPortugal: 1.4 % of GDP1.4FinlandFinland: 1.4 % of GDP1.4HungaryHungary: 1.3 % of GDP1.3DenmarkDenmark: 1.3 % of GDP1.3NetherlandsNetherlands: 1.3 % of GDP1.3ItalyItaly: 1.2 % of GDP1.2GermanyGermany: 1.2 % of GDP1.2SpainSpain: 1.2 % of GDP1.2CzechiaCzechia: 1.2 % of GDP1.2SwedenSweden: 1.1 % of GDP1.1SloveniaSlovenia: 1.1 % of GDP1.1BelgiumBelgium: 0.9 % of GDP0.9AustriaAustria: 0.8 % of GDP0.8MaltaMalta: 0.5 % of GDP0.5LuxembourgLuxembourg: 0.5 % of GDP0.5IrelandIreland: 0.3 % of GDP0.3
% of GDP. Source: World Bank. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2019
% of GDP		Change on 2018
1Bulgaria3.2+1.7 pts
2Greece2.6-0.1 pts
3Latvia2.1-0 pts
4Estonia20 pts
5Lithuania20 pts
6Poland2-0.1 pts
7France1.90 pts
8Romania1.80 pts
9Cyprus1.80 pts
10Slovakia1.7+0.5 pts
11Croatia1.6+0.1 pts
12Portugal1.4-0 pts
13Finland1.4-0 pts
14Hungary1.3+0.3 pts
15Denmark1.30 pts
16Netherlands1.3+0.1 pts
17Italy1.2-0.1 pts
18Germany1.2+0.1 pts
19Spain1.2-0 pts
20Czechia1.2+0.1 pts
21Sweden1.1+0.1 pts
22Slovenia1.1+0.1 pts
23Belgium0.9-0 pts
24Austria0.80 pts
25Malta0.5+0.1 pts
26Luxembourg0.5+0.1 pts
27Ireland0.3-0 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Military expenditure as a percentage of GDP: current and capital spending on the armed forces, including peacekeeping forces, defence ministries, paramilitary forces trained for military operations and military space activities. World Bank series from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

SIPRI definition, so values can differ from the NATO defence expenditure figures used for the 2% target.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the EU countries are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

World Bank, World Development Indicators. Military expenditure, % of GDP (MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Questions

Which EU country has the highest military spending as a share of GDP?

Bulgaria, with 3.2% of GDP in 2019, according to the World Bank.

Which EU country has the lowest military spending as a share of GDP?

Ireland, with 0.3% of GDP in 2019.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: World Bank, Military expenditure, % of GDP (MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS). Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Military expenditure: other rankings

EU countries: more rankings