Military spending throughout the world

Sequestration could force the U.S. military to choose between the force it has now, or slashing troops, aircraft and weapons to afford modernization to retain a technological edge over the nation’s adversaries, the Pentagon’s top civilian leader says.

Here's a look at military spending throughout the world in the past two decades, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. (Note: Expense numbers in millions adjusted to 2011 U.S. dollars.)

Top 11 spenders worldwide

Click on a bar to highlight that country's chart below.

Interactive by Kyle Nagel