Countries Spending The Most on their Military Spending
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10. Korea, Republic - Military expenditure (2017): $39.2 billion - Military expenditure as a % of general government expenditure (2017): 12.1% (#16 among countries) - Military expenditure per capita (2017): $761 (#13 among countries) Tensions between South Korea and its northern neighbor shaped much of the Republic's defense policy—and budget since the Korean Peninsula was divided at the end of the Korean War. A significant portion of the budget proposed in 2018 has been earmarked for efforts to increase cooperation between the two countries. President Moon Jae-in and North Korea's Kim Jong Un signed the Panmunjom Declaration after a summit in April last year and committed to halt in hostilities and denuclearization, though that goal remains elusive.
24. Colombia - Military expenditure (2017): $9.7 billion - Military expenditure as a % of general government expenditure (2017): 11.0% (#20 among countries) - Military expenditure per capita (2017): $198 (#33 among countries) For five decades, the world's longest civil war was waged in Colombia, pitting left-wing guerilla groups against government-backed paramilitary forces. The war ended with a historic armistice agreement in early 2017, but Colombia has not stopped investing in its military. While some of the funds will now go toward programs to smooth the peace process, the country also faces issues with drug trafficking and the ongoing economic and political crisis in Venezuela, which has the potential to spark a violent conflict.
