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Historical Values
Year Value
1990 $5.28 billion (1988)
1991 $NA, NA% of GNP
1992 exchange rate conversion - $12-15 billion, NA of GNP (1991 est.)
1993 exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GNP
1994 defense budget - 52.04 billion yuan, NA% of GDP (1994 est.); note - conversion of the defense budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
1995 defense budget - 63.09 billion yuan, NA% of GDP (1995 est.); note - conversion of the defense budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results CHRISTMAS ISLAND (territory of Australia)
1996 the officially announced but suspect figure is 70.2 billion yuan, NA% of GDP (1995 est.); note - conversion of the defense budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
1997 NA%
1998 NA%
1999 NA%
2000 1.2% (FY99)
2001 1.2% (FY99)
2002 1.6% (2002); note - this is the officially announced figure, but actual defense spending is more likely between 3.5% to 5.0% of GDP for 2002
2003 4.3% (FY02)
2004 3.5-5.0% (FY03 est.)
2005 4.3% (2004)
2006 4.3% (2005 est.)
2007 4.3% (2006)
2008 4.3% of GDP (2006)
2009 4.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 25
2010 4.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 22
2011 4.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 22
2012 4.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 21
2013 2.6% of GDP (2012) country comparison to the world: 49
2014 1.99% of GDP (2012) country comparison to the world: 40 2% of GDP (2011) 1.99% of GDP (2010)
2015 1.99% of GDP (2012) | 2% of GDP (2011) | 1.99% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 40
2016 1.99% of GDP (2012) | 2% of GDP (2011) | 1.99% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 40
2017 1.9% of GDP (2016) | 1.95% of GDP (2015) | 1.9% of GDP (2014) | 1.85% of GDP (2013) | 1.84% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 40
2018 2% of GDP (2017) | 1.9% of GDP (2016) | 1.95% of GDP (2015) | 1.9% of GDP (2014) | 1.85% of GDP (2013)
2019 1.87% of GDP (2018) | 1.9% of GDP (2017) | 1.93% of GDP (2016) | 1.95% of GDP (2015) | 1.9% of GDP (2014)
2020 1.9% of GDP (2019) | 1.9% of GDP (2018) | 1.9% of GDP (2017) | 1.9% of GDP (2016) | 1.9% of GDP (2015)
2021 1.7% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2019) 1.9% of GDP (2018) 1.9% of GDP (2017) 1.9% of GDP (2016)
2022 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2019) (approximately $290 billion) 1.7% of GDP (2018) (approximately $265 billion) 1.8% of GDP (2017) (approximately $260 billion)
2023 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2019 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2018 est.)
2024 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2019 est.)
2025 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)