Top5 World's Largest Arms Exporters
| Rank |
Country |
Total Arms Sale |
Percent of Global Arms Sales |
| 1 |
 United States |
154.882 |
41% |
| 2 |
 Russia |
63.823 |
17% |
| 3 |
 France |
31.247 |
8% |
| 4 |
 United Kingdom |
26.914 |
7% |
| 5 |
 Germany |
16.261 |
4% |
Followed by:
| 6 |
 Italy |
11.053 |
3% |
| 7 |
 China |
10.125 |
3% |
| 8 |
Other Europians |
40.291 |
11% |
| 9 |
Others |
22.849 |
6% |
Source: globalissues.org, Richard F. Grimmett, CRS Report for Congress; Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 2001-2008 . September 4, 2009
Developing Nations Are Top Recipients
- Developing nations continue to be the primary focus of foreign arms sales activity by weapons suppliers.
- Despite the global economic climate, major purchases continue to be made by a select few developing nations in these regions, principally China and India in Asia, and Saudi Arabia in the Middle East.
- Saudi Arabia and India’s large spending reflects their modernization efforts since the 1990s.
- The strength of individual economies of a wide range of nations in the developing world continues to be a significant factor in the timing of many of their arms purchasing decisions.
- Increases in the price of oil, while an advantage for major oil producing states in funding their arms purchases, has, simultaneously, caused economic difficulties for many oil consuming states, contributing to their decisions to curtail or defer new weapons acquisitions.
- A number of less affluent developing nations have chosen to upgrade while reducing new purchases
| Saudi Arabia signed to buy 142 helicopters from France, including 64 NH-90 helicopters such as the one shown here, as well as tanker aircraft and other weapons in the largest arms export deal ever signed by France |
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