Greek defense spending in absolute terms and share of GDP 2005-2021

Greek defense spending is consistently one of the highest in the European Union, both in absolute value, as well as in its size in relation to Greek GDP. Greece is a geopolitically important country, finding itself at the crossing point from Europe to West Asia, with its relationship with its neighbor Turkey often being fraught, in spite of both being members of NATO.

The two countries are particularly in dispute over the status of Cyprus, which is an independent country and EU member, but which Turkey occupies a significant part of since its invasion in 1974. Greece has invested in its military in recent years in order to retain its status as a military power in the Mediterranean, as well as to deal with policing its island territories, which are a key crossing point for people seeking refuge in Europe from West Asia and North Africa.