Kazakhstan leads Central Asia in per capita military spending

Kazakhstan ranked first in Central Asia in 2026 for military spending per capita, with $288 spent per person annually, Orda.kz reports, citing EnergyProm.

Globally, Israel and the United States lead the list.

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that worldwide military expenditures have already exceeded $2.6 trillion and continue to grow amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Measured per capita, Israel tops the global chart at approximately $3,700 per person per year, followed by the United States ($2,400) and Australia ($2,100).

Germany and Russia record similar figures at about $1,500 per person.

Large-population countries spend significantly less per individual: China averages around $214, and India $77.

Within Central Asia, Kazakhstan leads with $288 per person, followed by Turkmenistan ($254) and Uzbekistan ($170). Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan lag behind, at $106 and $43, respectively.

Experts note that per capita military spending depends not only on economic capacity but also on security factors.

Countries facing higher risks tend to allocate more resources to defence regardless of population size.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov