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According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, worldwide military expenditures were $1822 billion in 2018. This described a relative decline from 1990 when military expenses made up 4 percent of world GDP.
The volume of global transfers of major arms in the period 2017–2021 was 4.6% lower than in 2012–2016 but was 3.9% higher than in 2007–2011.
77% of arms exports during the 2017-2021 period were in the hands of just five nations: the United States, Russia, France, China, and Germany.
From 2017 to 2021, United States arms exports accounted for 39% of the global total and were 14% higher than in 2012–2016.
French arms exports grew by 59% between 2012–2016 and 2017–2021, while Chinese (–31%), Russian (–26%), and German (–19%) arms exports decreased.
The five largest arms importers in 2017–2021, India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Australia, and China, jointly received 38% of all imports of major arms.
The main recipient region in 2017–2021 was Asia and Oceania (accounting for 43% of global arms imports), followed by the Middle East (32%), Europe (13%), Africa (5.8%), and the Americas (5.5%). Arms imports by states in South America in 2017–2021 were at their lowest level for any 5-year period in the past 50 years.
The map below created by Reddit user rubenbmathisen shows the World’s biggest arms suppliers and whom they have sent arms to the past 10 years.
Arms exports by country
The U.S. had a market share of 39% in global arms exports from 2017 to 2021. Russia’s second-largest supplier of arms globally, accounting for 19% of exports.
The U.S. and Russia supplied over half of arms exports between 2017 and 2021. Accompanying the former Cold War superpowers, France, Germany, and China were the leading worldwide exporters.
Top 15 leading exporters of major weapons between 2017 and 2021
Rank
Country
Share of international arms exports,%
1
United States
39.0
2
Russia
19.0
3
France
11.0
4
China
4.6
5
Germany
4.5
6
Italy
3.1
7
United Kingdom
2.9
8
South Korea
2.8
9
Spain
2.5
10
Israel
2.4
11
Netherlands
1.9
12
Turkey
0.9
13
Sweden
0.8
14
Ukraine
0.7
15
Switzerland
0.7
The specter of the Cold War persists in influencing the modern arms market. NATO remains active three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The most significant spending on the NATO charter comes from the U.S., though the American expenditures have declined since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, Russia and China have increased military spending in the past decade, signaling a possible shift in the global balance of military power.
Top of arms suppliers will change if we look at arms exports per capita. Interestingly, even peace-loving Sweden and Switzerland are among the top arms exporters per capita globally.
