Military spending as a share of GDP in Colombia
Colombia: Military spending as a share of GDP was 2.7% in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2019)
2.7%
Change on year
up 6.8%
World rank
26th
of 172 countries
All-time high
4.2%
in 1833
All-time low
0.3%
in 1875
Years of data
189
1831–2019
Military spending as a share of GDP in Colombia, 1831–2019
Source: Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Colombia recorded 2.7% for military spending as a share of gdp in 2019.
That represents a change of up 6.8% on the previous year and down 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of gdp in Colombia peaked at 4.2% in 1833 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1875.
Colombia ranks 26th of 172 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending as a share of GDP in Colombia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1831 | 3.9% | — |
| 1832 | 3.9% | -0.8% |
| 1833 | 4.2% | +7.7% |
| 1834 | 3.9% | -7.7% |
| 1835 | 4.0% | +1.5% |
| 1836 | 3.5% | -10.7% |
| 1837 | 3.5% | -0.8% |
| 1838 | 3.6% | +3.8% |
| 1839 | 3.6% | -2.3% |
| 1840 | 3.9% | +9.3% |
| 1841 | 3.7% | -3.9% |
| 1842 | 3.7% | -0.2% |
| 1843 | 3.7% | +0.6% |
| 1844 | 3.5% | -6.2% |
| 1845 | 3.2% | -10.2% |
| 1846 | 3.1% | -2.7% |
| 1847 | 2.6% | -14.9% |
| 1848 | 2.6% | -0.4% |
| 1849 | 2.4% | -7.9% |
| 1850 | 2.1% | -11.6% |
| 1851 | 1.9% | -9.3% |
| 1852 | 1.8% | -5.9% |
| 1853 | 1.6% | -9.1% |
| 1854 | 1.5% | -9.5% |
| 1855 | 1.3% | -9.1% |
| 1856 | 1.2% | -11.2% |
| 1857 | 1.0% | -13.7% |
| 1858 | 1.0% | -1.2% |
| 1859 | 1.0% | -3.2% |
| 1860 | 0.9% | -8.8% |
| 1861 | 0.7% | -22.7% |
| 1862 | 0.6% | -12.7% |
| 1863 | 0.5% | -21.9% |
| 1864 | 0.5% | -5.1% |
| 1865 | 0.3% | -31.9% |
| 1866 | 0.3% | -1.6% |
| 1867 | 0.4% | +17.1% |
| 1868 | 0.3% | -1.5% |
| 1869 | 0.4% | +12.5% |
| 1870 | 0.3% | -18.0% |
| 1871 | 0.3% | +4.8% |
| 1872 | 0.4% | +16.6% |
| 1873 | 0.4% | +10.7% |
| 1874 | 0.4% | -17.9% |
| 1875 | 0.3% | -18.6% |
| 1876 | 0.3% | +11.8% |
| 1877 | 0.7% | +124.7% |
| 1878 | 0.8% | +7.7% |
| 1879 | 0.7% | -11.0% |
| 1880 | 0.6% | -9.5% |
| 1881 | 0.7% | +8.9% |
| 1882 | 0.9% | +25.3% |
| 1883 | 0.8% | -6.1% |
| 1884 | 0.9% | +6.7% |
| 1885 | 0.8% | -9.4% |
| 1886 | 0.8% | +2.2% |
| 1887 | 0.7% | -12.7% |
| 1888 | 0.8% | +7.8% |
| 1889 | 0.7% | -7.4% |
| 1890 | 0.7% | +3.3% |
| 1891 | 0.6% | -16.1% |
| 1892 | 0.6% | +2.4% |
| 1893 | 0.6% | -5.2% |
| 1894 | 0.6% | -1.5% |
| 1895 | 0.6% | +1.3% |
| 1896 | 0.5% | -7.6% |
| 1897 | 0.5% | -1.7% |
| 1898 | 0.5% | -2.5% |
| 1899 | 1.2% | +139.7% |
| 1900 | 1.3% | +3.3% |
| 1901 | 0.8% | -41.5% |
| 1902 | 0.8% | -0.1% |
| 1903 | 0.8% | +3.3% |
| 1904 | 0.8% | +2.5% |
| 1905 | 0.8% | -3.4% |
| 1906 | 0.8% | +10.2% |
| 1907 | 0.9% | +1.6% |
| 1908 | 0.9% | +1.0% |
| 1909 | 0.9% | -0.4% |
| 1910 | 0.8% | -11.1% |
| 1911 | 0.7% | -6.3% |
| 1912 | 0.7% | -6.3% |
| 1913 | 0.7% | +5.8% |
| 1914 | 0.6% | -14.6% |
| 1915 | 0.6% | +3.7% |
| 1916 | 0.6% | -7.5% |
| 1917 | 0.5% | -13.0% |
| 1918 | 0.4% | -11.6% |
| 1919 | 0.4% | -21.3% |
| 1920 | 0.3% | -4.1% |
| 1921 | 0.4% | +20.6% |
| 1922 | 0.4% | -4.8% |
| 1923 | 0.3% | -15.7% |
| 1924 | 0.3% | -10.0% |
| 1925 | 0.3% | +7.6% |
| 1926 | 0.4% | +10.5% |
| 1927 | 0.4% | +20.2% |
| 1928 | 0.5% | +8.8% |
| 1929 | 0.4% | -2.5% |
| 1930 | 0.4% | -14.6% |
| 1931 | 0.4% | -4.5% |
| 1932 | 0.4% | +6.1% |
| 1933 | 0.4% | +10.6% |
| 1934 | 0.5% | +26.4% |
| 1935 | 0.5% | -4.2% |
| 1936 | 0.5% | +4.3% |
| 1937 | 0.5% | -3.2% |
| 1938 | 0.6% | +14.5% |
| 1939 | 0.7% | +21.9% |
| 1940 | 0.6% | -13.7% |
| 1941 | 0.6% | -8.9% |
| 1942 | 0.5% | -5.9% |
| 1943 | 0.5% | -8.6% |
| 1944 | 0.6% | +15.4% |
| 1945 | 0.6% | +11.2% |
| 1946 | 0.6% | -9.6% |
| 1947 | 0.6% | -3.1% |
| 1948 | 0.9% | +61.8% |
| 1949 | 1.0% | +14.6% |
| 1950 | 0.5% | -50.8% |
| 1951 | 1.1% | +122.0% |
| 1952 | 1.4% | +20.1% |
| 1953 | 1.7% | +22.7% |
| 1954 | 2.0% | +18.3% |
| 1955 | 1.9% | -5.7% |
| 1956 | 1.9% | +3.4% |
| 1957 | 1.4% | -25.8% |
| 1958 | 0.9% | -39.7% |
| 1959 | 0.7% | -15.1% |
| 1960 | 0.8% | +5.6% |
| 1961 | 0.9% | +17.5% |
| 1962 | 1.1% | +24.5% |
| 1963 | 1.2% | +5.5% |
| 1964 | 1.3% | +5.1% |
| 1965 | 1.2% | -1.2% |
| 1966 | 1.1% | -14.3% |
| 1967 | 0.9% | -13.0% |
| 1968 | 0.9% | -3.0% |
| 1969 | 0.8% | -12.0% |
| 1970 | 0.8% | +4.3% |
| 1971 | 1.1% | +28.4% |
| 1972 | 0.6% | -39.8% |
| 1973 | 0.5% | -18.5% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | -5.7% |
| 1975 | 0.5% | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 0.4% | -9.9% |
| 1977 | 0.4% | -4.2% |
| 1978 | 0.4% | +4.5% |
| 1979 | 0.5% | +16.5% |
| 1980 | 0.5% | -3.6% |
| 1981 | 0.6% | +13.9% |
| 1982 | 0.6% | +12.2% |
| 1983 | 0.7% | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.6% | -8.5% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | -9.6% |
| 1988 | 0.5% | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 0.6% | +16.7% |
| 1990 | 0.9% | +36.8% |
| 1991 | 1.0% | +15.8% |
| 1992 | 0.9% | -7.0% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | +11.2% |
| 1994 | 1.1% | +7.9% |
| 1995 | 1.4% | +27.7% |
| 1996 | 2.0% | +41.6% |
| 1997 | 1.7% | -14.6% |
| 1998 | 1.8% | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 1.6% | -10.0% |
| 2000 | 1.9% | +20.4% |
| 2001 | 1.9% | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 1.8% | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 1.8% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 2.0% | +11.4% |
| 2005 | 2.3% | +12.9% |
| 2006 | 2.1% | -8.1% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | +32.7% |
| 2008 | 3.2% | +12.6% |
| 2009 | 2.9% | -9.1% |
| 2010 | 2.6% | -8.6% |
| 2011 | 2.2% | -16.1% |
| 2012 | 2.3% | +4.7% |
| 2013 | 2.7% | +18.6% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | +9.0% |
| 2015 | 2.7% | -10.7% |
| 2016 | 2.4% | -9.5% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | +6.7% |
| 2018 | 2.6% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 2.7% | +6.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 3.8% | 3.5% | 4.2% | 9 |
| 1840s | 3.2% | 2.4% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 1850s | 1.5% | 1.0% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.7% | 0.5% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.7% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.3% | 0.5% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.4% | 0.9% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.3% | 1.8% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 3.0% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
More economy & growth data for Colombia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.41 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.099 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per capita 847.2 current US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 401.07 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per capita 3.43 million current LCU per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.0901 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 771.82 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 2.12 million constant LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 1.06 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending as a share of gdp in Colombia?
- Military spending as a share of gdp in Colombia was 2.7% 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 Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.2% in 1833.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1875.
- How does Colombia rank for military spending as a share of gdp?
- Colombia ranks 26th out of 172 countries with data for 2019.
- Is military spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Colombia 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 — 189 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).