15 Countries With Highest Defense Spending and Largest Military Budgets

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12. Australia

Military Spending: $24.6 Billion

Australia’s military expenditures represent just 2% of its GDP as of the end of 2016, but the country is also one of the top importers of weapons. Last year, Australia announced plans to invest $195 billion on defense over the next decade, in order to double the number of submarines and buy three new destroyers, nine frigates and 12 offshore patrol boats. The increase in its military budget is explained by the growing threats coming from the Korean Peninsula, as well as the tensions in the South China Sea.

BPTU/Shutterstock.com

BPTU/Shutterstock.com

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