Wednesday, May 09, 2018

Arms Spending Rises

World military expenditure rose to $1.7 trillion in 2017, an increase of 1.1 per cent in real terms from 2016.

After 13 consecutive years of increases from 1999 to 2011 and relatively unchanged spending from 2012 to 2016, total global military expenditure rose again in 2017. Military spending in 2017 represented 2.2 per cent of global gross domestic product.

Saudi Arabia started to increase its spending in 2017, despite the continuing low oil prices. At the same time, there are no indications that China will end the long-lasting steady annual increases in its spending. 

The decrease in US spending ended in 2016. Trump has pushed for increases and a substantial increase in 2018 is likely.

 Finally, many states in Europe have started to increase their spending in response to heightened threat-perceptions towards Russia, and in relation to the conflicts in the Middle East.

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