Global Arms Trade

The True Cost of Global Arms Trade

Each year, around $45-60 billion worth of arms sales are agreed. Most of these sales (something like 75%) are to developing countries. The 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council (US, Russia, France, United Kingdom and China), together with Germany and Italy account for around 85% of the arms sold between 2002 and 2009. With the amount of money being sent to developing countries you would think they would put it to good use.

Arms sales (agreements), by Supplier, 2003-2010 (in billions of constant 2010 U.S. dollars)

2010 BIG SPENDERS ON DEFENSE: The eighteen nations with the largest military budgets in 2010 are shown in the chart below.

The United States, with a budget of $698 billion, spends more on defense than the next seventeen nations combined. The United States military spending is almost six times that of the next biggest spender, China ($119 billion) and more than eleven times that of Russia ($59 billion. Where does all this cash come from? You guessed it, taxes.

The U.S. accounts for 40% of the world's yearly defense outlays.

Top 30 Countries 2010 Defense Spending by Rank & GDP: Figures are in US $billions at 2010 prices and exchange rates

Country Billion Rank GDP GDP Rank Per Capita United States 698.3 1 4.7 11 2,260 China 119.4 2 2.2 55 88 United Kingdom 59.6 3 2.7 45 963 France 59.3 4 2.5 47 915 Russia 58.7 5 4.3 14 419 Japan 54.5 6 1.0 129 429 Saudi Arabia 45.2 7 11.2 2 1,727 Germany 45.2 8 1.4 99 550 India 41.3 9 2.8 42 34 Italy 37.0 10 1.8 77 615 Brazil 33.5 11 1.6 88 172 South Korea 27.6 12 2.9 39 569 South Korea 27.6 12 2.9 39 569 Australia 24.0 13 1.9 70 1,115 Canada 22.8 14 1.5 91 672 Turkey 17.5 15 2.7 44 231 United Arab Emirates 16.1 16 7.3 4 3,410 Spain 15.4 17 1.1 122 339 Israel 14.0 18 6.3 6 1,929 Netherlands 11.2 19 1.5 93 671 Colombia 10.7 20 3.7 25 232 Greece 9.4 21 3.2 35 835 Taiwan 9.1 22 2.4 49 395 Poland 8.9 23 1.8 78 234 Singapore 8.4 24 4.3 13 1,736 Indonesia 7.2 25 0.9 136 31 Chile 6.9 26 3.5 28 404 Norway 6.7 27 1.6 87 1,385 Algeria 5.7 28 3.8 21 160 Pakistan 5.6 29 2.8 43 31 Sweden 5.6 30 1.2 118 607

World Countries with Nuclear Weapons Stockpiles

Country Continent(s) First Tests Operational Warheads Total Warheads Russia Asia, Europe 1949 4,650 12,000 United States North America 1945 2,468 9.600 France Europe 1960 300 300 China Asia 1964 180 240 United Kingdom Europe 1952 <160 225 Israel Asia *1979 Unknown 80 Pakistan Asia 1988 Unknown 70-90 India Asia 1974 Unknown 60-80 North Korea Asia *2006 Unknown <10 * unverified World 7,700 22,600

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