Chile Military Spending
Military expenditure as % of GDP MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS
Chile's military spending was 1.39% in 2025, ranked 86th globally. This represents a 11.6% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1960–2025.
Overview
Chile's military spending stood at 1.39% in 2025, a decline of +0.18% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 1.39% by 2025. Chile ranked 86th globally.
Chile’s military expenditure has fallen dramatically over the past six decades, sliding from 3.12 percent of GDP in 1960 to a historic low of 1.39 percent in 2025, the figure reported by the World Bank and ranking the country 86th globally. The sharpest contraction occurred after the all‑time peak of 8.88 percent in 1982, a period marked by the country’s transition from a prolonged authoritarian regime to democratic governance and a reorientation of defence priorities. Over the 66‑year span, Chile’s spending trajectory diverges markedly from many Latin American peers, aligning more closely with nations such as Zambia, which also records a 1.39 percent share, and Cambodia at 1.42 percent. The sustained decline reflects fiscal consolidation, lower perceived external threats, and a strategic shift toward non‑kinetic security domains. If regional security dynamics remain stable and defence modernization continues to emphasize technology over force size, Chile’s military budget is likely to remain near the current trough, with only modest incremental adjustments.
Data & projection
| Year | Military Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 1.20% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 1.30% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 1.39% | - | - |
| 2025 | 1.39% | −0.18% | #86 |
| 2024 | 1.58% | −0.05% | #72 |
| 2023 | 1.63% | +0.09% | #80 |
| 2022 | 1.54% | −0.11% | #81 |
| 2021 | 1.65% | −0.42% | #90 |
| 2020 | 2.07% | +0.20% | #107 |
| 2019 | 1.86% | −0.01% | #101 |
| 2018 | 1.88% | −0.06% | #104 |
| 2017 | 1.94% | +0.02% | #107 |
| 2016 | 1.92% | +0.01% | #103 |
| 2015 | 1.91% | −0.06% | #106 |
| 2014 | 1.97% | −0.03% | #109 |
| 2013 | 1.99% | −0.05% | #108 |
| 2012 | 2.05% | −0.22% | #108 |
| 2011 | 2.26% | +0.01% | #109 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Chile matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2010. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw military spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
The provided headlines discuss potential future US monetary policy, commodity markets, and US-China relations under a hypothetical "Trump 2.0" administration. Neither headline contains information directly or indirectly related to Chile's military spending, which was last reported at 1.39% of GDP. Therefore, these news developments do not offer relevant context for analyzing Chile's defense expenditures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chile's military spending was 1.39% in 2025. Ranked 86th globally. This represents a 11.6% decrease from the previous year.
Chile's military spending peaked at 8.88% in 1982.
The lowest military spending in Chile was 1.39% in 2025.
Chile ranks 86th globally in military spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Chile's military spending is projected to reach 1.39% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The military spending of Chile in 2025 was 1.39%. This ranks 86th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_chile_military-spending,
title = {Chile Military Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/chile/military-spending/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}