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Which NATO ally spends the most of its GDP on defence?

Race · 27 Oct 2026

Bar chart race of military spending as a share of GDP, 1993 to 2025, for 12 of today's NATO allies. The US leads in 1993, then Greece, Turkey, the US again from 2003 and Greece in 2021 and 2022. Poland, in gold, starts 7th and passes the US in 2024. Notes mark Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In 2025 Poland spends 4.5%, Latvia 3.6%, Estonia 3.4% and the US 3.1%.

Poland spent 2.5% of GDP on defence in 1993. It passed the US in 2024, and in 2025 spent 4.5%, the most of all 32 NATO allies. The US spent 3.1%.

Source: World Bank (SIPRI), 2025