Global military spending skyrocketed to an unprecedented $2.718 trillion (£2tn) in 2024, marking a substantial 9.4% real-term increase from 2023. Incredibly, this is the sharpest annual rise since at least the end of the Cold War.

With the world in the grip of an expensive and dangerous new arms race, read on to discover the 25 top defence spenders, as identified by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), and where the money is going.

All dollar amounts in US dollars.