Papua New Guinea Military Spending
Military expenditure as % of GDP MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS
Papua New Guinea's military spending was 0.31% in 2025, ranked 145th globally. This represents a 0.3% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1975–2025.
Overview
Papua New Guinea's military spending stood at 0.31% in 2025, a rise of +0.00% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 0.31% by 2025. Papua New Guinea ranked 145th globally.
Papua New Guinea's military spending has exhibited a downward trajectory since its peak in 1976, when it reached 1.63% of GDP. This was a pivotal year in the country's history, coinciding with the end of the Bougainville conflict and the subsequent increase in government expenditure. However, the trend has been largely consistent, with the lowest recorded rate occurring in 2024 at 0.31%, a value that ranks Papua New Guinea 145th globally. This figure is comparable to Guatemala, which spends 0.38% of its GDP on military expenditure, and significantly lower than Kazakhstan, which allocates 0.22%. The current stability in Papua New Guinea's military spending is likely to persist, given the country's ongoing efforts to consolidate its defense forces and allocate resources towards development priorities. A significant increase in regional security threats or a change in government policies would be required to alter the downward trajectory of military spending in Papua New Guinea.
Data & projection
| Year | Military Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 0.28% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 0.29% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 0.31% | - | - |
| 2025 | 0.31% | +0.00% | #145 |
| 2024 | 0.31% | −0.03% | #4 |
| 2023 | 0.34% | −0.08% | #5 |
| 2022 | 0.42% | +0.09% | #7 |
| 2021 | 0.33% | −0.06% | #4 |
| 2020 | 0.39% | +0.03% | #6 |
| 2019 | 0.36% | +0.03% | #6 |
| 2018 | 0.33% | −0.02% | #5 |
| 2017 | 0.36% | −0.03% | #6 |
| 2016 | 0.38% | −0.08% | #7 |
| 2015 | 0.46% | −0.02% | #12 |
| 2014 | 0.48% | −0.01% | #10 |
| 2013 | 0.49% | −0.02% | #14 |
| 2012 | 0.52% | +0.16% | #11 |
| 2011 | 0.36% | +0.03% | #4 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Papua New Guinea matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2022. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw military spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Papua New Guinea's military spending was 0.31% in 2025. Ranked 145th globally. This represents a 0.3% increase from the previous year.
Papua New Guinea's military spending peaked at 1.63% in 1976.
The lowest military spending in Papua New Guinea was 0.31% in 2024.
Papua New Guinea ranks 145th globally in military spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Papua New Guinea's military spending is projected to reach 0.31% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The military spending of Papua New Guinea in 2025 was 0.31%. This ranks 145th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_papua-new-guinea_military-spending,
title = {Papua New Guinea Military Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/papua-new-guinea/military-spending/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}