This volume investigates the state of global military expenditure, nuclear proliferation, and arms control efforts during the pivotal year of 1991. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) utilizes its extensive network of researchers and primary data sources to provide a comprehensive audit of international security. The text presents a systematic framework for analyzing the transition of military power following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the shifting landscape of conventional and unconventional weaponry.

Experts and policy analysts regard this yearbook as a foundational reference for understanding the geopolitical climate of the early 1990s. Readers frequently note the high density of statistical data and the objective, clinical tone maintained throughout the analysis.