BICC Global Militarisation Index 2014: For the first time five European countries ranked among the Top 10
In the 2014 GMI, Israel, Singapore, Armenia, Syria, Russia, Cyprus, South Korea, Jordan, Greece and Azerbaijan (position 1 to 10) are the countries with the highest levels of militarisation worldwide. The experts of BICC point out that the high levels of militarisation in these countries are mostly the result of comprehensive arms purchases. The Middle East remains the most militarised region. For the first time five countries from Europe are ranked under the top 10.
The Global Militarisation Index (GMI) depicts the relative weight and importance of the military apparatus of one state in relation to its society as a whole. The update of the GMI 2014 is based on data from the year 2013 (i. e. the most recent year for which data has been available) and comprises 152 states. BICC’s GMI is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).