Eritrea Military Spending
Military expenditure as % of GDP MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS
Eritrea's military spending was 20.87% in 2003, ranked 148th globally. This represents a 0.9% increase from 2002. Data from World Bank, covering 1993–2003.
Overview
Eritrea's military spending stood at 20.87% in 2003, a rise of +0.19% from 2002. Eritrea ranked 148th globally.
Eritrea’s military expenditure has remained relatively high for a small African state, averaging 20.87 percent of GDP in the most recent year of observation (2003) and ranking 148th worldwide. The series, which spans 11 years from 1993 to 2003, shows a modest decline from an early‑period level of 21.33 percent in 1993 to the 2003 figure, but it is punctuated by pronounced volatility: spending peaked at 34.38 percent of GDP in 1999 before falling to a trough of 11.86 percent in 1997. Compared with regional peers, Eritrea’s outlays are several times larger than those of Saudi Arabia (8.69 percent), Oman (7.96 percent), Yemen (6.85 percent) and Kuwait (6.54 percent) in the same period, underscoring a distinctive fiscal emphasis on defence. If the government sustains its current security posture, the share of GDP devoted to the military is likely to remain elevated, yet any shift toward broader economic diversification or external security guarantees could temper future spending growth.
Data & projection
| Year | Military Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 20.87% | +0.19% | #148 |
| 2002 | 20.67% | −1.46% | #144 |
| 2001 | 22.14% | −10.52% | #141 |
| 2000 | 32.66% | −1.72% | #141 |
| 1999 | 34.38% | +1.88% | #139 |
| 1998 | 32.50% | +20.64% | #136 |
| 1997 | 11.86% | −8.48% | #141 |
| 1996 | 20.34% | +0.81% | #140 |
| 1995 | 19.54% | +6.82% | #138 |
| 1994 | 12.72% | −8.61% | #140 |
| 1993 | 21.33% | – | #141 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Eritrea matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2019. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw military spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Eritrea's military spending was 20.87% in 2003. Ranked 148th globally. This represents a 0.9% increase from the previous year.
Eritrea's military spending peaked at 34.38% in 1999.
The lowest military spending in Eritrea was 11.86% in 1997.
Eritrea ranks 148th globally in military spending as of 2003.
The World Bank indicator code is MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
The military spending of Eritrea in 2003 was 20.87%. This ranks 148th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_eritrea_military-spending,
title = {Eritrea Military Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/eritrea/military-spending/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}