A new report from the Australian Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP) titled “Current trends in militarization” highlights the increase in military spending and its share of national GDP.
The report highlights that today there are 59 military conflicts on the planet, the largest recorded since World War II.
A new argument published on Caliber’s YouTube channel claims that in 2024, 92 countries are involved in armed conflicts outside their territories in one way or another.
The report highlights a number of global trends. One of them is the simultaneous decrease in the share of military expenditures in the national GDP and the increase in military expenditures. Furthermore, the proportion of the military budget in the global economy is about half its peak at the height of the Cold War.
Another trend is the reduction in the number of troops. IEP experts attribute this to the military’s increasing dependence on technological innovation. A similar dynamic – the decline in the number of military personnel and the share of military spending in the economy – has continued over the past thirty years.
According to the authors of the report, the military sector occupies the most important place in the national economy of North Korea (at least 24% of GDP according to 2023 data), and according to this indicator, the country is the world. leader. Afghanistan (10%), as well as the countries of the Middle East and Africa: Oman (5.9%), Algeria (4.8%), Mali, Morocco and Saudi Arabia (4.5%) are among the leaders. Among the states of the former USSR, Armenia (4.2%) and Azerbaijan (3.8%) top the list.
More details in the “Caliber” video:
Armenia: militarization disguised as peace
