Jamaica Military Spending
Military expenditure as % of GDP MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS
Jamaica's military spending was 1.04% in 2025, ranked 107th globally. This represents a 18.3% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1976–2025.
Overview
Jamaica's military spending stood at 1.04% in 2025, a decline of +0.23% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 1.04% by 2025. Jamaica ranked 107th globally.
Jamaica’s military expenditure has remained modest, averaging 1.04 percent of GDP in 2025, which places the island nation at rank 107 globally and aligns it closely with peers such as the Republic of Congo (1.04 percent) and Luxembourg (1.00 percent). Over the 47‑year series from 1976 to 2025, spending rose from 0.93 percent of GDP in the earliest record to an all‑time peak of 1.71 percent in 2020, before retreating to a trough of 0.49 percent in 2000. The post‑2000 ascent reflects a gradual reallocation of resources toward security amid regional crime concerns, while the 2020 spike coincided with heightened geopolitical uncertainty and domestic unrest. Despite these fluctuations, the share of GDP devoted to defence has hovered near the one‑percent threshold for most of the period. If fiscal consolidation and a continued emphasis on social programmes persist, Jamaica’s military spending is likely to stabilize or decline marginally in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Military Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 0.81% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 0.93% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 1.04% | - | - |
| 2025 | 1.04% | −0.23% | #107 |
| 2024 | 1.27% | +0.09% | #53 |
| 2023 | 1.19% | −0.10% | #46 |
| 2022 | 1.29% | −0.18% | #55 |
| 2021 | 1.47% | −0.24% | #74 |
| 2020 | 1.71% | +0.02% | #82 |
| 2019 | 1.68% | +0.35% | #88 |
| 2018 | 1.33% | +0.36% | #71 |
| 2017 | 0.97% | +0.02% | #39 |
| 2016 | 0.95% | +0.08% | #34 |
| 2015 | 0.87% | −0.00% | #27 |
| 2014 | 0.87% | −0.03% | #28 |
| 2013 | 0.90% | −0.03% | #32 |
| 2012 | 0.93% | +0.00% | #33 |
| 2011 | 0.93% | +0.05% | #34 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Jamaica matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2022. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw military spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Jamaica's military spending was 1.04% in 2025. Ranked 107th globally. This represents a 18.3% decrease from the previous year.
Jamaica's military spending peaked at 1.71% in 2020.
The lowest military spending in Jamaica was 0.49% in 2000.
Jamaica ranks 107th globally in military spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Jamaica's military spending is projected to reach 1.04% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The military spending of Jamaica in 2025 was 1.04%. This ranks 107th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_jamaica_military-spending,
title = {Jamaica Military Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/jamaica/military-spending/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}