Military Expenditure in Switzerland, 1960-2022

Switzerland's military spending steadily declined from 2.3% of GDP in 1960 to 0.8% by 2022. The 1960s and 70s maintained consistent defense allocations around 2%, reflecting Cold War dynamics and Switzerland's neutral yet prepared stance. From the 1980s, spending reductions coincided with the end of the Cold War and Switzerland's strategic focus on cost-effective defense.

In the 21st century, spending stabilized at around 0.7%, reflecting Switzerland's emphasis on a highly trained but lean defense force. A slight uptick to 0.9% in 2020 mirrors global increases in defense budgets amid growing geopolitical uncertainties, followed by stabilization at 0.8% in subsequent years.