These Nations Barely Fund Their Armed Forces

"But not every country has the same military or spending capabilities. In fact, some countries (like the ones on this list) spend minimally, operating their entire full-year military force on what a major power might spend in just a few days. These lower-spending countries have an increased chance of global and political challenges. Not only are they more vulnerable to foreign threats, requiring alliances and aid, but these nations also lack the more technologically advanced equipment that powers like the U.S. have."

"Here, 24/7 Wall St. explored which countries spend the least on their militaries. To do so, we 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 World Population Review. We only included countries with current up-to-date financial data."

"The balance between military funding and other societal needs is a complex challenge for countries with limited resources. For these countries, the government must carefully consider how much to spend on the defense budget while also taking care of the needs of the people: what sometimes feels like an impossible blend of security and prosperity. Allocating resources to defense can strain government finances. This pulls away from public works, infrastructure, healthcare and more."

Many countries allocate minimal budgets to their militaries, sometimes funding a full-year force on what a major power spends in days. Lower defense spending increases vulnerability to foreign threats and prompts reliance on alliances and aid. Limited budgets constrain acquisition of advanced equipment and technology compared with major powers. Analysis used Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) 2022 military expenditure data in current U.S. dollars, supplemented by spending as a percent of GDP and government spending, region, and 2023 population figures from World Population Review. Only countries with current, up-to-date financial data were included. Low spending can strain finances and hinder development.

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