Annual global military spending exceeds $2 trillion for the first time

The military expenses annual global revenue exceeded $2 trillion for the first time in 2021despite the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report released this Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The record figure of 2.11 billion dollars (1.97 billion euros), represents a rise of 0.7% in real terms compared to 2020which rises to 6.1% in nominal terms and constitutes 2.2% of global gross domestic product (GDP)one tenth less than last year, due to the recovery of the economy.

USA maintains its undisputed leadershipwith 38% of world spending and 801,000 million dollars (737,504 million euros), 1.4% less, due to the rise in inflation.

US funding for research and development increased 24% in the last decade, suggesting that its focus is on next-generation technology.

“The US government has repeatedly highlighted the need to maintain its military technological advantage with respect to its strategic competitors”, stated in the report.

After the USA it stands China, with an estimated expenditure of 293,000 million dollars (270,000 million euros) and 14% worldwide; ahead of India, with 3.6%; United Kingdom, with 3.2% and Russia, with 3.1%.

Russia recorded a rise in military spending for the third year in a row2.9% in 2021, up to 65,900 million (60,676 million euros), thanks to the profits obtained by the Petroleum and the gas, highlights the SIPRI.

Ukraine, ranked 36th in the world, allocated 5.9 billion (5,432 million euros), 8.5% less, although its spending on weapons has risen 72% since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The combined spending of the top five countries accounted for 62% of the world total.

The list of the ten countries that spent the most on weapons last year is closed, in this order, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Japan and South Korea.

“China’s Growing Self-Assertion in the seas of East and Southeast Asia has been the main driver of military spending in countries such as Australia and Japan”, highlights SIPRI.

Spain ranked sixteenth, one higher than in 2020, with a spending of 19,500 million dollars (17,954 million euros) and 5.6% more year-on-year.

The Spanish item for armament supposes the 1.4% of your GDP and 0.9% of global military spending in 2021.

Brazilthe first Latin American country on the list, ranks seventeenthwhile Colombia remains in twenty-fifth, three above Mexico, and Chile rises another few to thirty-fifth.

By regions, Asia-Oceania and Europe led the increase in spending, with 3.5% and 3%, respectively; in Africa it increased by 1.2% and in America and the Middle East there were falls, of 3.3% and 1.2%, respectively.

Thanks to the leadership of the United States and the contribution of Canada, America continues to be, however, the region with the highest military spending, accounting for 42% of the world total.

Europe remains the second region, with an expenditure of 418,000 million dollars (384,865 million euros), 80% corresponding to the central and western regions.

The report highlights that eight European member countries NATO achieved the Alliance’s recommendation to allocate 2% of their GDP to military spending, although others such as Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Poland have pledged in recent weeks to do so in the future because of the war in Ukraine.

In the Americas, the United States and Canada accounted for 94% of total spending.

In Central America and the Caribbean, military spending amounted to 11,000 million dollars (10,128 million euros), 2.5% less year-on-year but 58% more than at the beginning of the decade.

“The use of military force to combat criminal activities continues to be the main driver of military spending in the subregion,” the report said.

Mexicowith 8,700 million dollars (8,010 million euros), leads the regiondespite a year-on-year fall of 3.4%.

In South America there was a slight 0.6% drop to 45.3 billion (41,709 million euros), and with Brazil in the lead with 19,200 million (17,678 million euros), 4.3% less.

“Despite the drop in spending, Brazil was still able to make the planned payments for its strategic programs weapons, including the purchase of 36 Gripen fighter jets from Sweden,” the report said.

Colombia, the second country in the South American list, it spent 10,200 million dollars (9,391 million euros), 4.7% more.

SIPRI highlights that since the signing of the peace agreement with the FARC in 2016, Colombian military spending has grown every yearexcept in 2018, a fact that “can be attributed to the ongoing conflicts between the Government and other armed groups.”