The Most Pathetic Militaries on Earth

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• We used data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Military Expenditure Database.
• Countries with limited military budgets are either more heavily invested in fields like education or do not have extra money to go towards military spending without hurting the country’s progression.
• Also, Discover “The Next NVIDIA”

A country may have a limited military budget for a variety of reasons. Some choose to invest their funds in other areas, such as education or infrastructure. Others simply do not have the extra money necessary to cover military spending and have to go without, making themselves more vulnerable to outside threats or internal turmoil. Iceland famously does not have a military but, rather, relies on its NATO counterparts to step in on its behalf should the need arise.

Countries like the United States are on the other end of this spectrum. The U.S. spends the most of any country in the world on its military. In fact, it spends more than the next ten nations combined on their respective militaries. Much of this spending goes to keeping U.S. forces outfitted with the most technologically advanced gear, aircraft, and vehicles. However, 24/7 Wall St. is focusing on countries that are spending the least on their militaries.

To identify which countries spent the least on their military, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on U.S. military spending from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Military Expenditure Database for the 2022 fiscal year. Figures are in current U.S. dollars. We included supplementary data on military expenditure as a percent of GDP, a percent of government spending, region, and 2023 population data from the World Population Review. We only included countries with current, up-to-date financial data.

Why Are We Covering This?

The balance between military expenditure and other societal needs is a complex challenge for countries with limited resources, requiring careful consideration to ensure both security and prosperity. If a country has a low military expenditure, that country might be spending funds in areas like healthcare or education. This information also explains where many modern military alliances come from.

Here are the countries that spend the least on their military:

30. Equatorial Guinea

• Military expenditure (2022): $156.8 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.10%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 8.03%
• Population (2023): 1,675,000
• Region: Africa

29. Kyrgyztan

• Military expenditure (2022): $149.8 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.48%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 4.32%
• Population (2023): 6,975,000
• Region: Central Asia

28. Mongolia

• Military expenditure (2022): $118.4 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.60%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 1.78%
• Population (2023): 3,398,000
• Region: East Asia

27. Somalia

• Military expenditure (2022): $115.1 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): N/A
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 20.37%
• Population (2023): 17,600,000
• Region: Africa

26. Kosovo

• Military expenditure (2022): $107.6 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.13%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 3.83%
• Population (2023): 1,873,000
• Region: Central Europe

25. Tajikistan

• Military expenditure (2022): $103.5 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.02%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 3.79%
• Population (2023): 9,953,000
• Region: Central Asia

24. Burundi

• Military expenditure (2022): $101.4 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 2.76%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 7.22%
• Population (2023): 12,890,000
• Region: Africa

23. Madagascar

• Military expenditure (2022): $98 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.65%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 3.15%
• Population (2023): 29,610,000
• Region: Africa

22. Montenegro

• Military expenditure (2022): $98 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.61%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 3.95%
• Population (2023): 617,213
• Region: Central Europe

21. Papua New Guinea

• Military expenditure (2022): $97.5 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.33%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 1.55%
• Population (2023): 10,480,000
• Region: Oceania

20. Benin

• Military expenditure (2022): $97.2 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.56%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 3.03%
• Population (2023): 13,350,000
• Region: Africa

19. Malta

• Military expenditure (2022): $87 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.50%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 1.22%
• Population (2023): 531,113
• Region: Western Europe

18. Guyana

• Military expenditure (2022): $84.3 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.57%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 3.78%
• Population (2023): 808,726
• Region: Americas

17. Nicaragua

• Military expenditure (2022): $84.2 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.53%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 1.97%
• Population (2023): 6,948,000
• Region: Americas

16. Malawi

• Military expenditure (2022): $75.8 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.64%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 2.86%
• Population (2023): 20,410,000
• Region: Africa

15. Eswatini

• Military expenditure (2022): $74.3 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.65%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): N/A
• Population (2023): 1,202,000
• Region: Africa

14. Fiji

• Military expenditure (2022): $66.8 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.40%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 4.22%
• Population (2023): 929,766
• Region: Oceania

13. Moldova

• Military expenditure (2022): $47.7 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.32%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 0.88%
• Population (2023): 2,539,000
• Region: Eastern Europe

12. Timor Leste

• Military expenditure (2022): $44.3 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.11%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 2.55%
• Population (2023): 1,341,000
• Region: South East Asia

11. Central African Republic

• Military expenditure (2022): $42 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.70%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 8.96%
• Population (2023): 5,579,000
• Region: Africa

10. Lesotho

• Military expenditure (2022): $34.7 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.47%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 2.60%
• Population (2023): 2,306,000
• Region: Africa

9. Seychelles

• Military expenditure (2022): $26.1 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.38%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 3.20%
• Population (2023): 119,878
• Region: Africa

8. Guinea-Bissau

• Military expenditure (2022): $24.5 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.61%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 7.24%
• Population (2023): 2,106,000
• Region: Africa

7. Sierra Leone

• Military expenditure (2022): $24.5 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.60%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 2.71%
• Population (2023): 8,606,000
• Region: Africa

6. Belize

• Military expenditure (2022): $23.7 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.86%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 3.57%
• Population (2023): 405,272
• Region: Americas

5. Mauritius

• Military expenditure (2022): $20.3 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.17%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 0.59%
• Population (2023): 1,263,000
• Region: Africa

4. Liberia

• Military expenditure (2022): $18.7 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 1.27%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 1.61%
• Population (2023): 5,303,000
• Region: Africa

3. Gambia

• Military expenditure (2022): $15.2 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.69%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 2.96%
• Population (2023): 2,706,000
• Region: Africa

2. Haiti

• Military expenditure (2022): $12.6 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.07%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 0.69%
• Population (2023): 11,580,000
• Region: Americas

1. Cape Verde

• Military expenditure (2022): $10.3 million
• Military expenditure as a pct. of GDP (2022): 0.55%
• Military expenditure as a pct. of government spending (2022): 1.57%
• Population (2023): 593,149
• Region: Africa

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