Military and Security Data Sources
Access and interpret authoritative data on military spending, arms transfers, and security alliances to strengthen your research on conflict and defense topics.
SIPRI: The Gold Standard for Military Data
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is the single most important source for military and security data in international relations research. Its databases are used by governments, academics, and professional diplomats worldwide, and citing SIPRI data in MUN committee immediately signals serious research.
SIPRI's Military Expenditure Database tracks defense spending for every country going back to 1949. As of 2024, global military expenditure reached $2.44 trillion, with the United States accounting for approximately 37% of the world total. But raw spending figures can be misleading. SIPRI also provides military spending as a percentage of GDP, which reveals the burden defense places on a national economy. Saudi Arabia spends roughly 6-7% of GDP on defense — one of the highest rates in the world — while Japan has historically stayed near 1%, though recent policy shifts are pushing this upward.
The SIPRI Arms Transfers Database tracks international sales and gifts of major conventional weapons. This data reveals alliance structures and dependency relationships that are invisible in diplomatic statements. When you discover that India received 36% of all Russian arms exports between 2019 and 2023, you understand why India has been reluctant to condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine — regardless of any public statements about rules-based order.
