Military spending around the globe shows no signs of slowing down. The world spent nearly $1.3 trillion on armaments in 2007 — 2.5 percent of the planet’s gross domestic product — and the United States accounted for 45 percent of the total. Following far behind are the United Kingdom, China, France and Japan — with less than 5 percent each, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
While global arms sales have increased 45 percent since 1998, only five countries provide the majority of those weapons. The United States, Russia, Germany, France and the United Kingdom account for 80 percent of major conventional weapons exports from 2003 through 2007, SIPRI reported. The top customers for arms exporters are China, India, the United Arab Emirates, Greece and South Korea.