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About $1.7 trillion in spending last year according to 5 Apr. 2016: World military spending resumes upward course, says SIPRI — www.sipri.org
No. 5 - The United Kingdom
The UK took the fifth spot, spending total of $55.5 billion and moving up from 6th the previous year.
SIPRI attributes the UK's higher ranking largely to the drop in value of the euro. Along with the other big spenders in Europe - France and Germany, the UK has signaled its spending will continue to grow in the coming years.
No. 4 - RUSSIA
Unveiling new, advanced weaponry, opening up a war front in Syria and maintaining military operations at the border with Ukraine weren't enough to keep Russia in the third place as it fell to 4th with $66.4 billion military spending last year, despite an overall increase of 91 percent since 2006.
Russia' s recent aggressive actions were a key factor behind a 13 percent increase in military spending in central Europe.
No. 3 - Saudi Arabia.
Last year the oil-rich Gulf Kingdom engaged in wars by contributing to the US- led coalition against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, battling Iranian-backed rebels and generally fighting to counter what it perceives as Iran's growing influence in the region and the world.
They spent $87.2 billion, representing a 13.7 percent share of its gross domestic product and surpassed Russia to secure 3rd place in the world.
No. 2 - CHINA
The Asian powerhouse was the only world power other than the US to spend more than $100 billion on defense last year, doling out of an estimated total of $215 billion
(numbers are estimates because China does not publicly release this data)
No. 1 - The United States
Overall military spending in the US was down 3.9 percent from 2006 levels but America's investment in war still eclipsed all other potential adversaries at $596 billion, more than the total for the next 6 largest spenders combined.
The world's top military spenders
No. 5 - The United Kingdom
The UK took the fifth spot, spending total of $55.5 billion and moving up from 6th the previous year.
SIPRI attributes the UK's higher ranking largely to the drop in value of the euro. Along with the other big spenders in Europe - France and Germany, the UK has signaled its spending will continue to grow in the coming years.
No. 4 - RUSSIA
Unveiling new, advanced weaponry, opening up a war front in Syria and maintaining military operations at the border with Ukraine weren't enough to keep Russia in the third place as it fell to 4th with $66.4 billion military spending last year, despite an overall increase of 91 percent since 2006.
Russia' s recent aggressive actions were a key factor behind a 13 percent increase in military spending in central Europe.
No. 3 - Saudi Arabia.
Last year the oil-rich Gulf Kingdom engaged in wars by contributing to the US- led coalition against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, battling Iranian-backed rebels and generally fighting to counter what it perceives as Iran's growing influence in the region and the world.
They spent $87.2 billion, representing a 13.7 percent share of its gross domestic product and surpassed Russia to secure 3rd place in the world.
No. 2 - CHINA
The Asian powerhouse was the only world power other than the US to spend more than $100 billion on defense last year, doling out of an estimated total of $215 billion
(numbers are estimates because China does not publicly release this data)
No. 1 - The United States
Overall military spending in the US was down 3.9 percent from 2006 levels but America's investment in war still eclipsed all other potential adversaries at $596 billion, more than the total for the next 6 largest spenders combined.
The world's top military spenders
