Financial and Economic Data Relating to NATO Defence
Defence Expenditures of NATO Countries (1985-2009)
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The figures given in Table 1 represent payments actually made or to be made during the course of the fiscal year. They are based on the NATO definition of defence expenditure. In view of the differences between this and national definitions, the figures shown may diverge considerably from those which are quoted by national authorities or given in national budgets. Research and development expenditures related to major equipment are included in equipment expenditures and pensions paid to retirees in personnel expenditures.
Defence expenditures as of 2002 and personnel figures as of 2003 have been calculated on the basis of the revised NATO definition agreed in 2004, which excluded expenditure on Other Forces from the totals reported to NATO, except in the case of those elements of Other Forces which are structured, equipped and trained to support defence forces and which are realistically deployable. Most nations have reported defence expenditures according to this new definition, and in some cases (France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Turkey), this has resulted in a significant apparent decrease in defence expenditures.
Summary
| Table 1: | Total defence expenditures |
| Table 2: | Gross domestic product (GDP) and defence expenditure annual volume change |
| Table 3: | Defence expenditures as % of GDP |
| Table 4: | GDP and defence expenditures per capita |
| Table 5: | Distribution of defence expenditures by category |
| Table 6: | Armed forces |
Reader's guide
The defence data relating to France is indicative only. According to the new budgetary reform
and the financial law, from 2006 on, defence expenditure and strength figures are calculated with a new
accounting methodology.
Iceland has no armed forces.
The Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland joined the Alliance in 1999.
From 2001 on, United Kingdom has changed its accounting system for defence expenditures from “cash basis” to “resource basis”.
For nine European NATO member countries, monetary values are expressed in national currencies up to 2001. As from 2002, they are expressed in Euros. Monetary values, from 2007 for Slovenia and from 2009 for Slovak Republic are also expressed in Euros.
Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia joined the Alliance in 2004.
From 2005 onwards, monetary values for Turkey are expressed in new currency unit.
Albania and Croatia joined the Alliance in 2009.
To avoid any ambiguity the fiscal year has been designated by the year which includes the
highest number of months: e.g. 2008 represents the fiscal year 2008/2009 for Canada and United
Kingdom and the fiscal year 2007/2008 for the United States.
Conventional signs:
| e | estimated | - | nil |
| .. | not available | // | not applicable |
| | | break in continuity of series | . | decimal point |