Change in military expenditure 2014-2023, by region

Over the past 10 years, military spending increased the most in Eastern Europe, which rose by nearly 120 percent. This is explained by Ukraine's defense spending increasing rapidly, especially after the country was invaded by Russia in 2022. On the other hand, military spending in Sub-Saharan Africa fell by over 20 percent.The Russian-Ukraine WarThe war between Russia and Ukraine has been a major driver of military spending since beginning in 2022. Military spending has increased rapidly in both countries, but this growth has been more drastic in Ukraine than Russia. Moreover, spending by NATO members has also increased since the beginning of the war, increasing by billions between 2022 and 2024.Tensions in East AsiaEast Asia is another region where military spending has increased over the past decade. Tensions have increased in the South China Sea, especially between Taiwan and China, as nations in the region lay claim to islands in the area. In 2016, countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan were most concerned about territorial disputes with China. By 2024, these concerns have remained relevant in Asian societies. For example, over half of survey respondents in the Philippines indicated they were most concerned over tensions in the South China Sea compared to other security issues.

在过去十年间，东欧地区的军事开支增长最为显著，增幅高达近120%。这一现象可归因于乌克兰国防开支的迅速增长，尤其是在2022年俄罗斯对该国进行侵略之后。另一方面，撒哈拉以南非洲的军事开支则下降了超过20%。俄乌战争自2022年开始以来，一直是推动军事开支增长的主要因素。两国军事开支均有所上升，但乌克兰的增长幅度相较于俄罗斯更为剧烈。此外，自战争爆发以来，北约成员国的军事开支也有所增加，在2022年至2024年间，军事开支增加了数十亿美元。东亚地区的紧张局势东亚地区也是过去十年中军事开支增长的另一地区。特别是在南海，尤其是台湾与中国之间的紧张局势加剧，因为该地区的国家纷纷对该区域的岛屿提出主权要求。2016年，菲律宾、越南、韩国和日本等国家最关心的是与中国在领土争端上的问题。到了2024年，这些担忧在亚洲社会中依然存在。例如，超过一半的菲律宾受访者表示，相较于其他安全问题，他们最关心的是南海的紧张局势。