Military spending as a share of GDP in Myanmar
Myanmar: Military spending as a share of GDP was 2.1% in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2019)
2.1%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
39th
of 172 countries
All-time high
20.6%
in 2003
All-time low
1.4%
in 1948
Years of data
72
1948–2019
Military spending as a share of GDP in Myanmar, 1948–2019
Source: Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending as a share of gdp in Myanmar is 2.1%, measured in 2019.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and down 58.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of gdp in Myanmar peaked at 20.6% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 1948.
Myanmar ranks 39th 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 Myanmar, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 1.4% | — |
| 1949 | 3.7% | +158.2% |
| 1950 | 2.7% | -26.7% |
| 1951 | 3.5% | +28.1% |
| 1952 | 4.6% | +32.0% |
| 1953 | 6.0% | +31.2% |
| 1954 | 6.6% | +10.1% |
| 1955 | 5.9% | -10.5% |
| 1956 | 6.3% | +6.5% |
| 1957 | 6.2% | -1.6% |
| 1958 | 6.5% | +3.6% |
| 1959 | 5.6% | -13.7% |
| 1960 | 5.6% | +0.7% |
| 1961 | 5.6% | -0.2% |
| 1962 | 6.1% | +9.2% |
| 1963 | 6.1% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 6.1% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 6.4% | +4.8% |
| 1966 | 6.2% | -2.2% |
| 1967 | 5.1% | -17.9% |
| 1968 | 5.3% | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 5.0% | -4.8% |
| 1970 | 5.0% | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 5.0% | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 4.8% | -5.1% |
| 1973 | 4.9% | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 3.5% | -28.9% |
| 1975 | 3.4% | -3.6% |
| 1976 | 3.2% | -6.0% |
| 1977 | 3.1% | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 3.0% | -4.4% |
| 1979 | 2.9% | -1.3% |
| 1980 | 2.7% | -6.9% |
| 1981 | 2.7% | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 2.7% | -1.3% |
| 1983 | 3.2% | +19.7% |
| 1984 | 3.5% | +9.1% |
| 1985 | 4.0% | +15.4% |
| 1986 | 3.7% | -7.8% |
| 1987 | 3.4% | -6.9% |
| 1988 | 4.5% | +31.7% |
| 1989 | 5.2% | +14.1% |
| 1990 | 7.0% | +36.0% |
| 1991 | 7.2% | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 7.0% | -3.1% |
| 1993 | 11.0% | +57.1% |
| 1994 | 11.2% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 10.3% | -8.1% |
| 1996 | 8.6% | -16.2% |
| 1997 | 11.4% | +32.8% |
| 1998 | 11.8% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 11.4% | -3.0% |
| 2000 | 11.2% | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 12.4% | +10.7% |
| 2002 | 19.5% | +57.5% |
| 2003 | 20.6% | +5.6% |
| 2004 | 19.3% | -6.4% |
| 2005 | 17.9% | -7.4% |
| 2006 | 15.0% | -16.2% |
| 2007 | 12.5% | -16.5% |
| 2008 | 7.8% | -37.9% |
| 2009 | 5.0% | -35.7% |
| 2010 | 3.0% | -39.0% |
| 2011 | 3.2% | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 2.9% | -8.7% |
| 2013 | 2.7% | -6.8% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 2.4% | -9.5% |
| 2016 | 2.3% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 2.2% | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 2.1% | -6.4% |
| 2019 | 2.1% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 2.6% | 1.4% | 3.7% | 2 |
| 1950s | 5.4% | 2.7% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.8% | 5.0% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.9% | 2.9% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.6% | 2.7% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.7% | 7.0% | 11.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.1% | 5.0% | 20.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.5% | 2.1% | 3.2% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Myanmar
- 36 India 2.2% compare
- 37 North Korea 2.1% compare
- 38 Mauritania 2.1% compare
- 40 Russian Federation 2.1% compare
- 41 Taiwan 2.0% compare
- 42 Latvia 2.0% compare
More economy & growth data for Myanmar
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.44 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.01 Percent per annum (2029)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 10.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.385 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per capita 573.22 current US$ per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), annual growth rate 10.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 808.5 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), per capita 1.20 million current LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate -2.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2951 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending as a share of gdp in Myanmar?
- Military spending as a share of gdp in Myanmar was 2.1% 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 Myanmar?
- The highest recorded value was 20.6% in 2003.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in Myanmar?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 1948.
- How does Myanmar rank for military spending as a share of gdp?
- Myanmar ranks 39th out of 172 countries with data for 2019.
- Is military spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Myanmar?
- Over the last ten years it is down 58.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Myanmar 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.
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About this data
Military spending measured as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).