Militarism Mapped 2018

By David Swanson

World BEYOND War has just released an updated 2018 mapping of militarism in the world. The map system can be explored and adjusted to display what you’re looking for, as well as display precise data and its sources at http://bit.ly/mappingmilitarism

You can buy beautiful 24″ x 36″ posters of these maps here.

Or you can download the graphics and print your own posters.

Here are some examples of what the map system can show:

Where wars are present that directly and violently killed over 1,000 people in 2017:

Where wars are present and where wars come from are two different questions. If we look at where money is spent on wars and where weapons for wars are produced and exported, there is little overlap with the map above.

Here’s a map showing countries color-coded based on the dollar amount of their weapons exports to other governments from 2008-2015:

And here’s one showing the same but limited to exports to the Middle East:

Here are dictatorships that the United States sells or gives weapons to (and in most cases gives military training to):

These countries purchase U.S. weapons and report on it to the United Nations:

This next map shows countries color-coded based on how much they spend on their own militarism:

Here are countries colored based on how many nuclear weapons they have:

In the next map, every shade of orange or yellow (anything but gray) indicates the presence of some number of U.S. troops, not even counting special forces. Here’s a printable PDF.

The map system includes numerous maps illustrating steps toward peace. This one shows which nations are members of the International Criminal Court:

This one shows from which nations people have signed World BEYOND War’s pledge to help try to end all wars:

That pledge can be signed at http://worldbeyondwar.org/individual

The maps and more information about them can be found at http://bit.ly/mappingmilitarism

17 Responses

  1. It’s 2018 and you’re still using Flash?? Many of us banned Flash from our computers a long time ago.

  2. These maps are incredibly telling and accurate! We stand behind your effort for a just, kind world and ceasing war — a major factor in human and environmental agonies, most especially upsetting since the US attacked these places with no provocation — is the most logical place to start. We have caused a shift to permanent poverty in the US and upon those who depended on us by spending the predominance of the budget on destruction. For shame! It is time what little funding is left be spent on things like water and food. Thank you!

  3. We can go from a weapons dominated economy and pride/fear based status to a flower based one. The country that spends the greatest part of their now military budget planting flowers( in roadways, parks, anywhere) is declared the world leader for that year. Millions will be employed in doing so and happiness/health and well being will increase.

  4. Impressed with the effort and fully in agreement. The only problem i have is the fact that your organisation is obviously run by the elites. Only they can afford to shell out $25 for blue scarf.

    1. Buying scarves is not the only way to work with us for peace, but bringing in money is the only way we can hire staff to work fulltime for peace, unless you can invent some funding for us along with your accusations 🙂

  5. The first two maps show the nation with the highest military spending do not have major wars on their territory. Si vis pacem, para bellum.

      1. I think the observation may refer to the fact that the horrors of destruction that these nations inflict by waging their wars are not endured by themselves. This is particularly true of the US. Perhaps one reason why so many people of these countries are oblivious to the reality of what their own governments are doing. They create the wars and others suffer them. But perhaps I am wrong, as the Latin means: if you want peace, prepare for war.

  6. Just making an observations about the first 2 maps on this page, that someone else made.
    Nothing about what anyone may want.

    If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

  7. I am pondering the interconnectedness of the social justice issues uppermost in my mind:
    [1]electing BERNIE as the person I most trust to lead the US to become its promise;
    [2]promoting Rabbi Michael Lerner’s ‘Global Marshall Plan” of Generosity/the Network of Spiritual Progressives’
    [2]promoting World Without War
    David, Pls consider dialoguing w/me how to have these ideas coalesce into a single focus so I can better share/promote/activate others to this “vision” of mine.

    1. World Without War is a wellknown much-discussed organization that has never existed. World BEYOND War agrees very closely with Lerner on that and sometimes overlaps with Bernie’s positions, sometimes not.

  8. i hope you all know that we will never stop spending money on your military. it’s who we are and that’s how we will always be. nobody will be able to stop us in the coming years.#keepamericaamerican

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