Gambia, The Military Spending
Military expenditure as % of GDP MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS
Gambia, The's military spending was 0.49% in 2025, ranked 140th globally. This represents a 15.2% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1983–2025.
Overview
Gambia, The's military spending stood at 0.49% in 2025, a decline of +0.09% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 0.49% by 2025. Gambia, The ranked 140th globally.
The Gambia's military spending as a percentage of its GDP has fluctuated significantly over the past four decades, ranging from a low of 0.19 in 2004 to a high of 1.19 in 2014, with the latter year marking a 547% increase from the trough. The country's military spending has generally trended upward, with a notable exception in 2025 when it dropped to 0.49. Despite this recent decline, The Gambia's military spending remains higher than that of some of its peers, such as Guyana, which spent 0.48 of its GDP on the military in 2025. Nicaragua, another peer, spent 0.51 of its GDP on the military in 2025. The Gambia's military spending has been affected by various regional and global factors, including security concerns and the country's participation in international peacekeeping missions. A significant escalation of regional security threats or a shift in international relations could influence The Gambia's military spending trajectory in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Military Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 0.35% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 0.42% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 0.49% | - | - |
| 2025 | 0.49% | −0.09% | #140 |
| 2024 | 0.57% | −0.01% | #13 |
| 2023 | 0.58% | −0.12% | #14 |
| 2022 | 0.71% | −0.07% | #24 |
| 2021 | 0.78% | −0.04% | #23 |
| 2020 | 0.82% | +0.02% | #24 |
| 2019 | 0.80% | +0.11% | #28 |
| 2018 | 0.69% | −0.32% | #22 |
| 2015 | 1.01% | −0.18% | #43 |
| 2014 | 1.19% | +0.43% | #64 |
| 2013 | 0.75% | −0.04% | #23 |
| 2012 | 0.79% | +0.31% | #27 |
| 2009 | 0.48% | −0.61% | #12 |
| 2008 | 1.09% | +0.74% | #42 |
| 2007 | 0.36% | +0.10% | #4 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Gambia, The matched the Orthodox Tightening Cycle pattern in 2023. Historically, 57% of countries showing this pattern (177 out of 311) saw military spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Gambia, The's military spending was 0.49% in 2025. Ranked 140th globally. This represents a 15.2% decrease from the previous year.
Gambia, The's military spending peaked at 1.19% in 2014.
The lowest military spending in Gambia, The was 0.19% in 2004.
Gambia, The ranks 140th globally in military spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Gambia, The's military spending is projected to reach 0.49% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The military spending of Gambia, The in 2025 was 0.49%. This ranks 140th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_gambia-the_military-spending,
title = {Gambia, The Military Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/gambia-the/military-spending/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}