Military spending as a share of GDP in Bolivia, Plurinational State of
Bolivia, Plurinational State of: Military spending as a share of GDP was 1.5% in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2019)
1.5%
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
76th
of 172 countries
All-time high
13.9%
in 1935
All-time low
0.3%
in 1956
Years of data
172
1848–2019
Military spending as a share of GDP in Bolivia, Plurinational State of, 1848–2019
Source: Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Bolivia, Plurinational State of recorded 1.5% for military spending as a share of gdp in 2019.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of gdp in Bolivia, Plurinational State of peaked at 13.9% in 1935 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1956.
That places Bolivia, Plurinational State of 76th out of 172 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending as a share of GDP in Bolivia, Plurinational State of, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1848 | 3.3% | — |
| 1849 | 3.2% | -3.5% |
| 1850 | 2.9% | -8.0% |
| 1851 | 3.1% | +5.0% |
| 1852 | 3.0% | -2.3% |
| 1853 | 2.8% | -4.8% |
| 1854 | 2.7% | -4.2% |
| 1855 | 2.6% | -3.9% |
| 1856 | 2.5% | -5.2% |
| 1857 | 2.3% | -7.7% |
| 1858 | 2.5% | +9.9% |
| 1859 | 2.4% | -2.9% |
| 1860 | 2.4% | -2.8% |
| 1861 | 2.0% | -14.6% |
| 1862 | 1.8% | -13.0% |
| 1863 | 1.5% | -12.4% |
| 1864 | 1.4% | -7.7% |
| 1865 | 1.2% | -16.7% |
| 1866 | 1.1% | -3.7% |
| 1867 | 1.2% | +4.1% |
| 1868 | 1.3% | +5.3% |
| 1869 | 1.3% | +1.1% |
| 1870 | 1.2% | -5.2% |
| 1871 | 1.2% | +0.6% |
| 1872 | 1.2% | -0.9% |
| 1873 | 1.3% | +9.9% |
| 1874 | 1.3% | -3.2% |
| 1875 | 1.3% | +3.6% |
| 1876 | 1.4% | +8.8% |
| 1877 | 1.4% | -3.4% |
| 1878 | 1.5% | +10.9% |
| 1879 | 1.5% | -1.9% |
| 1880 | 2.8% | +86.9% |
| 1881 | 2.6% | -8.2% |
| 1882 | 2.5% | -1.4% |
| 1883 | 2.4% | -6.1% |
| 1884 | 2.3% | -3.1% |
| 1885 | 2.1% | -8.7% |
| 1886 | 2.0% | -3.3% |
| 1887 | 1.9% | -8.8% |
| 1888 | 1.9% | +2.3% |
| 1889 | 1.8% | -7.6% |
| 1890 | 1.7% | -1.3% |
| 1891 | 1.5% | -15.6% |
| 1892 | 1.4% | -4.7% |
| 1893 | 1.2% | -14.6% |
| 1894 | 1.1% | -7.8% |
| 1895 | 1.1% | +4.0% |
| 1896 | 1.3% | +9.8% |
| 1897 | 1.2% | -3.0% |
| 1898 | 1.3% | +2.4% |
| 1899 | 1.3% | +4.4% |
| 1900 | 1.4% | +9.9% |
| 1901 | 1.5% | +7.9% |
| 1902 | 1.6% | +1.5% |
| 1903 | 1.5% | -6.6% |
| 1904 | 1.4% | -6.0% |
| 1905 | 1.4% | -0.2% |
| 1906 | 1.4% | -1.4% |
| 1907 | 1.4% | +2.5% |
| 1908 | 1.4% | -0.5% |
| 1909 | 1.6% | +15.2% |
| 1910 | 1.5% | -6.2% |
| 1911 | 1.6% | +6.4% |
| 1912 | 1.9% | +21.1% |
| 1913 | 2.3% | +20.3% |
| 1914 | 2.0% | -15.8% |
| 1915 | 2.2% | +13.9% |
| 1916 | 1.8% | -17.2% |
| 1917 | 1.6% | -13.5% |
| 1918 | 1.5% | -8.2% |
| 1919 | 1.2% | -20.1% |
| 1920 | 0.9% | -24.8% |
| 1921 | 1.0% | +8.4% |
| 1922 | 0.9% | -9.3% |
| 1923 | 0.9% | +5.8% |
| 1924 | 1.0% | +8.5% |
| 1925 | 1.1% | +10.0% |
| 1926 | 1.3% | +14.6% |
| 1927 | 1.4% | +9.4% |
| 1928 | 1.4% | -0.3% |
| 1929 | 1.4% | -0.8% |
| 1930 | 1.4% | -0.1% |
| 1931 | 1.5% | +8.8% |
| 1932 | 1.3% | -12.5% |
| 1933 | 6.6% | +412.7% |
| 1934 | 12.6% | +90.7% |
| 1935 | 13.9% | +10.0% |
| 1936 | 1.8% | -86.8% |
| 1937 | 1.4% | -24.1% |
| 1938 | 1.5% | +10.5% |
| 1939 | 1.4% | -10.4% |
| 1940 | 1.5% | +5.8% |
| 1941 | 1.3% | -9.4% |
| 1942 | 1.5% | +10.4% |
| 1943 | 1.4% | -4.9% |
| 1944 | 1.4% | +4.3% |
| 1945 | 1.6% | +12.7% |
| 1946 | 1.5% | -10.1% |
| 1947 | 1.3% | -10.8% |
| 1948 | 1.3% | -3.6% |
| 1949 | 1.9% | +47.7% |
| 1950 | 2.2% | +16.0% |
| 1951 | 2.3% | +4.5% |
| 1952 | 2.8% | +25.6% |
| 1953 | 2.6% | -6.8% |
| 1954 | 0.6% | -77.4% |
| 1955 | 0.6% | +3.7% |
| 1956 | 0.3% | -48.5% |
| 1957 | 0.4% | +24.5% |
| 1958 | 0.4% | +5.5% |
| 1959 | 0.4% | +3.4% |
| 1960 | 0.6% | +27.7% |
| 1961 | 0.7% | +22.5% |
| 1962 | 0.8% | +15.5% |
| 1963 | 1.1% | +42.0% |
| 1964 | 1.4% | +25.6% |
| 1965 | 1.6% | +12.4% |
| 1966 | 1.5% | -4.9% |
| 1967 | 1.4% | -4.4% |
| 1968 | 1.3% | -10.6% |
| 1969 | 1.3% | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 1.4% | +8.8% |
| 1971 | 1.3% | -4.3% |
| 1972 | 1.5% | +14.0% |
| 1973 | 1.5% | -3.8% |
| 1974 | 1.7% | +12.6% |
| 1975 | 2.1% | +23.9% |
| 1976 | 2.1% | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 2.1% | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 2.4% | +12.5% |
| 1979 | 2.7% | +12.9% |
| 1980 | 2.9% | +7.0% |
| 1981 | 3.1% | +5.9% |
| 1982 | 2.5% | -19.2% |
| 1983 | 2.2% | -11.8% |
| 1984 | 2.5% | +12.0% |
| 1985 | 2.5% | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 2.1% | -13.7% |
| 1987 | 2.4% | +11.3% |
| 1988 | 2.3% | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 2.2% | -3.8% |
| 1990 | 2.0% | -7.7% |
| 1991 | 1.7% | -16.3% |
| 1992 | 1.6% | -4.8% |
| 1993 | 1.5% | -6.4% |
| 1994 | 1.5% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 1.5% | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 1.5% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 1.5% | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 1.6% | +6.3% |
| 1999 | 1.4% | -11.2% |
| 2000 | 1.3% | -6.7% |
| 2001 | 1.2% | -6.5% |
| 2002 | 1.2% | -4.5% |
| 2003 | 1.1% | -9.4% |
| 2004 | 1.0% | -4.3% |
| 2005 | 0.9% | -11.8% |
| 2006 | 0.9% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 1.0% | +6.4% |
| 2008 | 1.2% | +25.6% |
| 2009 | 1.3% | +7.3% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | +5.5% |
| 2011 | 1.3% | -7.2% |
| 2012 | 1.3% | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 1.3% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 1.3% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | +5.2% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | +11.2% |
| 2018 | 1.5% | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1840s | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.3% | 2 |
| 1850s | 2.7% | 2.3% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.5% | 1.1% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1880s | 2.2% | 1.8% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.8% | 1.2% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1930s | 4.3% | 1.3% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.3% | 0.3% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.2% | 0.6% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.9% | 1.3% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.5% | 2.1% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.6% | 1.4% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.5% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Bolivia, Plurinational State of
More economy & growth data for Bolivia, Plurinational State of
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.9744 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.3 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 3,311 constant LCU per person (2024)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 10.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 0.3126 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 1,382 current US$ per person (2024)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), annual 10.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 2.16 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 9,550 current LCU per person (2024)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) -2.75 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending as a share of gdp in Bolivia, Plurinational State of?
- Military spending as a share of gdp in Bolivia, Plurinational State of was 1.5% in 2019, according to Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in Bolivia, Plurinational State of?
- The highest recorded value was 13.9% in 1935.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in Bolivia, Plurinational State of?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1956.
- How does Bolivia, Plurinational State of rank for military spending as a share of gdp?
- Bolivia, Plurinational State of ranks 76th out of 172 countries with data for 2019.
- Is military spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Bolivia, Plurinational State of?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bolivia, Plurinational State of data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 172 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Military spending measured as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).