Worldwide, weapons sales increased sharply, while volume of arms trade between 2012 and 2016 increased by 8.4 percent compared to the previous five-year turnaround.

According to a report released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), global arms trade has reached its highest volume in 2016 since the Cold War.

Among the world's largest arms exporters are the United States, Russia, China, France and Germany. While 74 percent of the arms sales are made by these five countries, Asia and the Middle East countries are the top buyers of arms. The first country to import weapons in the world was India, while the second largest purchaser was Saudi Arabia.

The US sells the most weapons to the Middle East countries

The United States has a share of 33 percent in the global arms trade. US arms sales increased by 21 percent between 2012 and 2016 over the previous five-year turnaround. American weapons are being sold to at least 100 countries of the world. SIPRI experts Aude Fleurant said that no other country's customer spectrum was so wide that about half of the US-produced weapons were sold to the Middle East.

Russia's share of arms sales pie is 23 percent

Russia's share of arms sales pie is around 23 percent. China has also increased its arms sales by 74 percent in the last five years. China is the third country with the largest share of the world market, with 6.3 percent. France's share was 6 percent, and Germany's share in total arms exports was 5.6 percent.

According to the SIPRI report, Germany's weapons exports have dropped by 36 percent in the last five years, despite a record-breaking level in 2016. Between 2007 and 2011, Germany, the world's third largest arm of arms sales, exported arms to 60 countries between 2012 and 2016.

India is the peak arms buyer country

India's arms procurement has increased by 43 percent over the last five years. Asian and Oceania countries increased their weapons purchases by 7.7 percent, bringing their share of global imports to 43 percent. SIPRI experts Siemon Wezeman said that Asian countries, where no regional control mechanism existed, were rapidly increasing their weapon presence.

Saudi Arabia is the second largest importer of weapons in the world

Middle East countries' purchases of weapons have increased by 86 percent in five years, bringing their share in total arms trade to 29 percent. Saudi Arabia, the world's second-largest importing country, increased its arms purchases by 212 percent.

Qatar increases arms procurement

Qatar's arms imports increased by 245 percent over the five-year period. While the United Arab Emirates, China and Algeria were among the countries that bought the most weapons, the SIPRI report stated that the countries with the largest arms imports in Africa are Nigeria, Sudan and Ethiopia. (ILKHA)