This volume investigates the global state of armaments, disarmament efforts, and international security dynamics during the 1997 calendar year. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) utilizes its extensive network of researchers and primary data sources to provide a comprehensive assessment of military expenditures, conflict trends, and arms control developments. The text serves as a systematic framework for understanding the geopolitical landscape of the late 1990s through rigorous empirical analysis.

Experts and policy analysts frequently cite this yearbook as a foundational reference for historical data regarding late 20th-century security architecture. Readers often note the high density of technical data and the objective, non-partisan nature of the reporting.