The United States continues to be the world’s biggest weapons exporter, reports a Swedish peace research group that maintains a global arms transfer database. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released its data for 2009 on Monday, containing information on all international transfers of major conventional weapons.
The United States has a 30 percent share of the arms market, providing supplies to 70 countries, including aircraft to South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel. Russia was in second place, accounting for 23 percent of all arms exports.
Germany, the third biggest, doubled its arms export volume in the last five years compared to the previous five-year period. France also increased its exports in recent years, thanks to sales of combat aircrafts, Fayette frigates, submarines, and helicopters.
Combat aircraft amounted to more than one-quarter of all international conventional arms transfers.
SIPRI has been gathering arms transfer data since 1950, using five-year averages to analyze global weapons transfers volumes. The main trend their research has revealed is a 22 percent overall increase in global weapons sales between 2005-2009.
China earned first place as the biggest arms importer over the last five years. About three-quarters of arms supplies to China came from Russia. The other top recipients were India, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and Greece. Arms imports increased significantly to Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia.
The research group has warned about the increasing arms races in unstable regions such as Latin America, the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
The United States has a 30 percent share of the arms market, providing supplies to 70 countries, including aircraft to South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel. Russia was in second place, accounting for 23 percent of all arms exports.
Germany, the third biggest, doubled its arms export volume in the last five years compared to the previous five-year period. France also increased its exports in recent years, thanks to sales of combat aircrafts, Fayette frigates, submarines, and helicopters.
Combat aircraft amounted to more than one-quarter of all international conventional arms transfers.
SIPRI has been gathering arms transfer data since 1950, using five-year averages to analyze global weapons transfers volumes. The main trend their research has revealed is a 22 percent overall increase in global weapons sales between 2005-2009.
China earned first place as the biggest arms importer over the last five years. About three-quarters of arms supplies to China came from Russia. The other top recipients were India, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and Greece. Arms imports increased significantly to Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia.
The research group has warned about the increasing arms races in unstable regions such as Latin America, the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
