25 countries that spent a ridiculous amount on their militaries

The world has become a more dangerous place ever since Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As large-scale war has returned to the world so too have large-scale military budgets, and some countries are spending a ridiculous amount.

Every year the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) puts together a report on the world's military expenditure and the group's latest figures might blow your mind based on just how much the top countries are spending on their militaries.

Based on SIPRI's most recent information of 2022 global totals that were published in the group's 2023 report, the world's nations spent a collective $2,240,000,000,000 in US dollars on their military expenditures.

While that number may seem like a lot, the statistic gets even more worrying when you realize just 25 countries made up the majority of all that spending, and some that made it onto the list might surprise you.

Here is the list of those countries in order of highest to lowest and it shouldn't be a surprise that the United States of America tops the list with over 877 billion in military expenditures, blowing its next closest competitor—China—out of the water.

Spending: 877.0 billion

Percent of GDP: 3.5%

Percent of Global Spending: 39%

Spending: 292.0 billion

Percent of GDP: 1.6%

Percent of Global Spending: 13%

Spending: 86.4 billion

Percent of GDP: 4.1%

Percent of Global Spending: 3.9%

Spending: 81.4 billion

Percent of GDP: 2.4%

Percent of Global Spending: 3.6%

Spending: 75.0 billion

Percent of GDP: 7.4%

Percent of Global Spending: 3.3%

Spending: 68.5 billion

Percent of GDP: 2.2%

Percent of Global Spending: 3.1%

Spending: 55.8 billion

Percent of GDP: 1.4%

Percent of Global Spending: 2.5%

Spending: 53.6 billion

Percent of GDP: 1.9%

Percent of Global Spending: 2.4%

Spending: 46.4 billion

Percent of GDP: 2.7%

Percent of Global Spending: 2.1%

Spending: 46.0 billion

Percent of GDP: 1.1%

Percent of Global Spending: 2.1%

Spending: 44.0 billion

Percent of GDP: 34%

Percent of Global Spending: 2.0%

Spending: 33.5 billion

Percent of GDP: 1.7%

Percent of Global Spending: 1.5%

Spending: 32.3 billion

Percent of GDP: 1.9%

Percent of Global Spending: 1.4%

Spending: 26.9 billion

Percent of GDP: 1.2%

Percent of Global Spending: 1.2%

Spending: 23.4 billion

Percent of GDP: 4.5%

Percent of Global Spending: 1.0%

Spending: 22 billion

Percent of GDP: 9.81%

Percent of Global Spending: 0.9%

Spending: 20.3 billion

Percent of GDP: 1.5%

Percent of Global Spending: 0.9%

Spending: 20.2 billion

Percent of GDP: 1.1%

Percent of Global Spending: 0.9%

Spending: 16.6 billion

Percent of GDP: 2.4%

Percent of Global Spending: 0.7%

Spending: 15.6 billion

Percent of GDP: 1.6%

Percent of Global Spending: 0.7%

Spending: 15.4 billion

Percent of GDP: 7.0%

Percent of Global Spending: 0.7%

Spending: 12.5 billion

Percent of GDP: 1.6%

Percent of Global Spending: 0.6%

Spending: 11.7 billion

Percent of GDP: 2.8%

Percent of Global Spending: 0.5%

Spending: 10.6 billion

Percent of GDP: 1.2%

Percent of Global Spending: 0.5%

Spending: 10.3 billion

Percent of GDP: 2.6%

Percent of Global Spending: 0.5%