By Marcus Lu
In 2006, NATO defense ministers agreed that each member country would commit a minimum of 2% of its GDP to defense spending.
This graphic breaks down which members are keeping the agreement, based on data from NATO as of July 2023.
Poland Leads Ahead of the U.S.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a political and military alliance comprising 31 countries. Its primary purpose is to facilitate cooperation among member nations and ensure mutual defense and security.
In 2023, only 11 member countries were on track to meet NATO’s target of spending 2% of their country’s GDP on defense.
The U.S. accounted for 68% of the total defense expenditures by NATO countries, or $860 billion. This amount is over 10 times more than the second-placed country, Germany, if measured in absolute terms.
| Country | Defense spending in 2023E (% of GDP) |
|---|---|
 Poland* |
3.9 |
 United States |
3.5 |
 Greece |
3.0 |
 Estonia |
2.7 |
 Lithuania* |
2.5 |
 Finland |
2.5 |
 Romania* |
2.4 |
 Hungary |
2.4 |
 Latvia* |
2.3 |
 United Kingdom |
2.1 |
Situated in a crucial geopolitical location in Central Europe, Poland has increased its military spending in recent years, primarily due to concerns about escalating instability along the country’s eastern border with Belarus. According to polls, two-thirds of Poles hold a favorable opinion regarding NATO’s activities.
On the other hand, significant economic and military powers are among the members that are falling short. The list includes France (1.9%), Italy (1.5%), Canada (1.4%), and Germany (1.6%).
