This list is put together by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), on a yearly basis, as part of the SIPRI Yearbook - a publication which outlines data and analysis in the areas of national security, conflicts, military spending, armaments, non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament. Whilst it is no surprise to see that the United States makes up over 40% of the overall global military spending, it is quite sad to see the most 'friendly' western nations spending such massive amounts, on armies, bombs, etc.

The United States has increased it's overall share of global military spending, from 41.5% to 43%, in just 12 months, and this is reflected in the rise of it's military spending, as a percentage of it's overall national GDP (from 4.0% to 4.3%). In plain English, the US is spending a larger portion of its wealth on weapons, even though it already accounts for almost half of all weapons deals worldwide. Barack Obama's 2010 United States budget included further rises in military spending, therefore the US trend is set to continue. China's estimated rise is almost as staggering. In the space of just 12 months, the SIPRI estimates that China's spending has gone from $63bn per year, to $100bn, a rise of almost 60%. China's rise in spending may also account for Japan's necessity to increase their spending by 10% in a year.