Year after year, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) collects data on military spending from countries that have armies around the world, including those in Latin America, Uruguay being the country in the region that spends the most in proportion to its population.
This has been the reality since the 1990s, according to SIPRI. In 1990 Uruguay spent US$104.13 per capita on its army, an amount that had already increased compared to previous years: one year before it was US$97.03 and two years before US$94.48.
In 1991Uruguay continued to be first in this ranking, with up to US$113,036, surpassing Argentina, which at that time spent more than US$95, and Chile with US$84.29.
Uruguay continued to bring in money to be spent on its army in 1992when spending reached US$129,887, but Argentina had barely increased its budget to US$98,901 per capita.
almost constant growth
According to SIPRI and an analysis made by the portal politicized.comwhich produces interactive statistical graphs, Uruguayan military spending has not stopped growing annually until today, except on a few occasions. This is the annual evolution from 1993 to 2021:
- 1993: $140.68 (?)
- 1994: $161.12 (?)
- nineteen ninety five: $176.42* (?)
- nineteen ninety six: $175.96 (?)
- 1997: $174.30 (?)
- 1998: $173.65 (?)
- 1999: $167.57 (?)
- 2000: $157.75 (?)
- 2001: $105.13 (?)
- 2002: $86.40 (?)
- 2003: $84.07 (?)
- 2004: $103.35 (?)
- 2005: $117.68 (?)
- 2006: $124.60 (?)
- 2007: $168.91 (?)
- 2008: $172.21 (?)
- 2009: $218.64 (?)
- 2010: $243.79 (?)
- 2011: $271,673(?)
- 2012: $306.89 (?)
- 2013: $304.68 (?)
- 2014: $285.14 (?)
- 2015: $287.94 (?)
- 2016: $339.01 (?)
- 2017: $366.73 (?)
- 2018: $334.11 (?)
- 2019: $315.83 (?)
- 2020: $360.69 (?)
- 2021: $360.95 (?)
*In this year, Chile overtook Argentina in second place.
In this last year, the top 10 Latin American countries, from highest to lowest military spending, are:
- Uruguay: $360.95
- Chile: $324.29
- Columbia: $198.57
- Trinidad and Tobago: $148.02
- Ecuador: $135.11
- Brazil: $89.66
- Guyana: $89.49
- Peru: $70.76
- Jamaica: $70.57
- Mexico: $66.64
Argentina it did not enter the top 10, as it ranks 12th with US$56.82 in annual per capita spending.
? #Defending | Military spending per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean (2021):
1. ?? Uruguay: 361
2. ?? Chile: 324
3. ??Colombia: 199
4. ?? Trinidad and Tobago: 148
5. ?? Ecuador: 135? Figures express dollars.
?Evolution between 1988 and 2021⤵️pic.twitter.com/vm13NYKqzK
— Politicized (@Politizadoscom) October 26, 2022
