Year
Defense Spend-
ing (billions of
8
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL DEFENSE SPENDING
8
Defense Spending
As % of Federal
Spending
As 96 of Gross
Domestic Product
(billions of 2000
current dollars)
dollars)
1960
48.1
52.2%
9.3%
300.2
1970
817
41.8%
8.7%
375.1
1980
134.0
22.7%
4.9%
267.1
1990
299.3
23.9%
5.2%
382.7
2000
294.4
16.596
3.0%
294.4
2010 (est)
712.9
19.9%
4.896
522.2
Source: U.S. Government, Office of Management and Budget
Which of the following statements is best supported by the data in the table above?
A Defense spending, measured in current dollars, increased during each ten-year period shown in the table.
B
Between 1990 and 2010 defense spending increased by all measures shown in the table.
C
D
Between 1960 and 2010, defense spending decreased from over half of total federal spending to less than one-fifth.
As a percentage of GDP, defense spending in 2010 was the lowest ever during the period shown in the chart.