Military spending as a share of GDP in Mexico
Mexico: Military spending as a share of GDP was 0.4% in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2019)
0.4%
Change on year
up 16.0%
World rank
158th
of 172 countries
All-time high
8.2%
in 1849
All-time low
0.2%
in 1990
Years of data
189
1831–2019
Military spending as a share of GDP in Mexico, 1831–2019
Source: Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2019, military spending as a share of gdp in Mexico stood at 0.4%.
The figure is up 16.0% on the previous year and up 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of gdp in Mexico peaked at 8.2% in 1849 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1990.
That places Mexico 158th out of 172 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom 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 Mexico, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1831 | 1.4% | — |
| 1832 | 1.4% | +3.7% |
| 1833 | 1.5% | +6.0% |
| 1834 | 1.5% | -0.7% |
| 1835 | 1.5% | -1.0% |
| 1836 | 1.4% | -4.1% |
| 1837 | 1.5% | +6.4% |
| 1838 | 1.6% | +6.8% |
| 1839 | 1.7% | +3.0% |
| 1840 | 1.9% | +14.1% |
| 1841 | 2.0% | +5.6% |
| 1842 | 2.2% | +8.9% |
| 1843 | 2.3% | +7.6% |
| 1844 | 2.4% | +3.4% |
| 1845 | 2.4% | -0.3% |
| 1846 | 7.6% | +216.6% |
| 1847 | 7.5% | -1.5% |
| 1848 | 8.0% | +6.8% |
| 1849 | 8.2% | +2.0% |
| 1850 | 7.9% | -3.5% |
| 1851 | 7.6% | -3.2% |
| 1852 | 8.1% | +5.7% |
| 1853 | 8.0% | -1.3% |
| 1854 | 7.7% | -2.9% |
| 1855 | 8.1% | +4.3% |
| 1856 | 7.6% | -5.3% |
| 1857 | 7.4% | -3.4% |
| 1858 | 7.9% | +6.5% |
| 1859 | 8.1% | +3.3% |
| 1860 | 7.8% | -3.5% |
| 1861 | 6.8% | -13.7% |
| 1862 | 6.2% | -7.5% |
| 1863 | 5.4% | -13.1% |
| 1864 | 5.7% | +4.1% |
| 1865 | 2.1% | -63.4% |
| 1866 | 2.1% | +0.6% |
| 1867 | 1.9% | -6.6% |
| 1868 | 1.9% | -4.4% |
| 1869 | 1.7% | -7.1% |
| 1870 | 1.5% | -10.5% |
| 1871 | 1.6% | +4.1% |
| 1872 | 1.6% | +1.1% |
| 1873 | 1.9% | +13.8% |
| 1874 | 1.7% | -5.5% |
| 1875 | 1.9% | +8.4% |
| 1876 | 1.6% | -14.1% |
| 1877 | 1.5% | -8.3% |
| 1878 | 1.4% | -4.3% |
| 1879 | 1.3% | -6.6% |
| 1880 | 1.2% | -7.7% |
| 1881 | 1.2% | -3.0% |
| 1882 | 1.2% | -1.5% |
| 1883 | 1.2% | +4.2% |
| 1884 | 1.3% | +3.0% |
| 1885 | 1.2% | -1.2% |
| 1886 | 1.5% | +17.1% |
| 1887 | 1.4% | -2.4% |
| 1888 | 1.5% | +5.3% |
| 1889 | 1.6% | +6.1% |
| 1890 | 1.7% | +4.0% |
| 1891 | 1.4% | -14.1% |
| 1892 | 1.5% | +1.9% |
| 1893 | 1.3% | -12.7% |
| 1894 | 1.2% | -8.6% |
| 1895 | 1.0% | -9.9% |
| 1896 | 0.8% | -24.4% |
| 1897 | 0.7% | -12.2% |
| 1898 | 0.7% | -3.2% |
| 1899 | 0.5% | -24.8% |
| 1900 | 0.7% | +34.5% |
| 1901 | 0.6% | -6.8% |
| 1902 | 0.7% | +3.7% |
| 1903 | 0.6% | -6.4% |
| 1904 | 0.6% | +4.1% |
| 1905 | 0.6% | -5.9% |
| 1906 | 0.6% | -0.3% |
| 1907 | 0.6% | -2.5% |
| 1908 | 0.6% | +5.1% |
| 1909 | 0.7% | +8.1% |
| 1910 | 0.6% | -10.5% |
| 1911 | 0.6% | +5.1% |
| 1912 | 0.8% | +32.0% |
| 1913 | 1.4% | +70.0% |
| 1914 | 1.1% | -20.5% |
| 1915 | 1.2% | +7.5% |
| 1916 | 1.1% | -5.0% |
| 1917 | 2.9% | +156.6% |
| 1918 | 2.4% | -18.5% |
| 1919 | 2.2% | -6.0% |
| 1920 | 1.7% | -22.3% |
| 1921 | 2.1% | +19.4% |
| 1922 | 2.1% | -0.9% |
| 1923 | 1.7% | -18.1% |
| 1924 | 1.3% | -21.8% |
| 1925 | 1.4% | +7.7% |
| 1926 | 1.2% | -13.8% |
| 1927 | 1.2% | -2.4% |
| 1928 | 1.4% | +15.7% |
| 1929 | 1.2% | -12.1% |
| 1930 | 1.1% | -8.2% |
| 1931 | 1.0% | -7.2% |
| 1932 | 0.9% | -14.4% |
| 1933 | 0.7% | -15.7% |
| 1934 | 0.8% | +7.7% |
| 1935 | 0.7% | -10.0% |
| 1936 | 0.7% | -1.4% |
| 1937 | 0.7% | -5.2% |
| 1938 | 0.7% | +10.0% |
| 1939 | 0.7% | -10.0% |
| 1940 | 0.7% | +2.1% |
| 1941 | 0.7% | -1.2% |
| 1942 | 0.6% | -4.4% |
| 1943 | 0.6% | -1.5% |
| 1944 | 0.7% | +3.7% |
| 1945 | 0.7% | +12.4% |
| 1946 | 0.7% | -4.9% |
| 1947 | 0.7% | -7.2% |
| 1948 | 0.6% | -6.8% |
| 1949 | 0.6% | -8.3% |
| 1950 | 0.4% | -24.2% |
| 1951 | 0.4% | -10.5% |
| 1952 | 0.4% | +8.1% |
| 1953 | 0.4% | -4.3% |
| 1954 | 0.3% | -12.5% |
| 1955 | 0.3% | -7.6% |
| 1956 | 0.3% | +7.4% |
| 1957 | 0.4% | +5.9% |
| 1958 | 0.4% | -0.2% |
| 1959 | 0.3% | -12.7% |
| 1960 | 0.3% | +1.8% |
| 1961 | 0.4% | +9.9% |
| 1962 | 0.4% | +4.3% |
| 1963 | 0.4% | -1.4% |
| 1964 | 0.4% | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 0.4% | -1.9% |
| 1966 | 0.4% | -2.2% |
| 1967 | 0.4% | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 0.3% | -3.8% |
| 1969 | 0.3% | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 0.3% | -4.9% |
| 1971 | 0.3% | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 0.3% | +5.0% |
| 1973 | 0.4% | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 0.3% | -3.9% |
| 1975 | 0.4% | +14.8% |
| 1976 | 0.4% | -8.3% |
| 1977 | 0.3% | -14.7% |
| 1978 | 0.3% | -11.7% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 0.3% | +4.7% |
| 1981 | 0.3% | +13.3% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | -13.5% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | -7.5% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | +17.9% |
| 1986 | 0.3% | -9.0% |
| 1987 | 0.3% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 0.3% | -6.7% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | -6.5% |
| 1990 | 0.2% | -8.2% |
| 1991 | 0.2% | +4.5% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | +26.7% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | +8.3% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | +12.7% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 0.4% | +10.0% |
| 1997 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.4% | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 0.4% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | -6.8% |
| 2003 | 0.3% | -18.8% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | -7.9% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 0.3% | +14.6% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 0.4% | +11.5% |
| 2010 | 0.4% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | +7.2% |
| 2014 | 0.4% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | -13.6% |
| 2017 | 0.4% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 0.4% | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | +16.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.7% | 9 |
| 1840s | 4.4% | 1.9% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 1850s | 7.8% | 7.4% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 1860s | 4.2% | 1.7% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.6% | 1.3% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1880s | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.1% | 0.5% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.4% | 0.6% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Mexico
More economy & growth data for Mexico
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.43 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.06 Percent per annum (2029)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 0.5468 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.589 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per capita 8,181 current US$ per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), annual growth rate 5.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 11.33 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), per capita 157,378 current LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.4653 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending as a share of gdp in Mexico?
- Military spending as a share of gdp in Mexico was 0.4% 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 Mexico?
- The highest recorded value was 8.2% in 1849.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in Mexico?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1990.
- How does Mexico rank for military spending as a share of gdp?
- Mexico ranks 158th out of 172 countries with data for 2019.
- Is military spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Mexico?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mexico 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).