Saudi Arabia: Becomes the world’s fifth largest country in terms of military expenditures Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s military expenditures have reached a record level of 73 billion dollars, making it the fifth highest country in the world in terms of military expenditures. During one year, defense expenditures in Saudi Arabia have increased by 16 percent, breaking a record.
According to a report on global military expenditures by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in Sweden, Saudi Arabia ranks fifth in the world in terms of military expenditures, taking into account the increase in military expenditures. These figures are 16 percent higher compared to a year ago, when it ranked eighth in global military expenditures. With an increase of 704 percent, Saudi Arabia has spent more on defense than any other country except Ukraine.
It is clear that the three countries spending the most on defense worldwide are the United States, China, and Russia.
The entire Middle East region spent $184 billion on defense in 2022. In comparison, Israel’s defense spending decreased by 4.2% to $23.4 billion, as it had to make cuts to balance its budget.
Overall, global military spending increased by 3.4% and reached a record high of $2.22 trillion.
According to sources, the report did not include expenses related to urban defense and current military operations, including the salaries and benefits of former soldiers and weapons destruction, as well as non-military activities involving the military.
