Argentina vs South Africa
Argentina vs South Africa: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $85 in Argentina and $49 in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Argentina, by $35, or 1.72 times that in South Africa.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Argentina has been higher since 2008, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, Argentina ranked 80 and South Africa ranked 100 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Argentina | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $85 | $49 |
| 2024 | $92 | $48 |
| 2023 | $107 | $49 |
| 2022 | $96 | $56 |
| 2021 | $68 | $58 |
| 2020 | $63 | $54 |
| 2019 | $70 | $58 |
| 2018 | $86 | $62 |
| 2017 | $124 | $63 |
| 2016 | $103 | $55 |
| 2015 | $127 | $62 |
| 2014 | $116 | $71 |
| 2013 | $121 | $76 |
| 2012 | $109 | $84 |
| 2011 | $98 | $87 |
| 2010 | $85 | $81 |
| 2009 | $73 | $70 |
| 2008 | $69 | $65 |
| 2007 | $58 | $70 |
| 2006 | $47 | $70 |
| 2005 | $44 | $72 |
| 2004 | $38 | $64 |
| 2003 | $36 | $53 |
| 2002 | $29 | $37 |
| 2001 | $85 | $38 |
| 2000 | $88 | $40 |
| 1999 | $95 | $37 |
| 1998 | $94 | $41 |
| 1997 | $93 | $53 |
| 1996 | $96 | $58 |
| 1995 | $109 | $74 |
| 1994 | $109 | $79 |
| 1993 | $99 | $76 |
| 1992 | $97 | $87 |
| 1991 | $87 | $94 |
| 1990 | $63 | $109 |
| 1989 | $45 | $107 |
| 1988 | $86 | $113 |
- Estimate
- Highly uncertain
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Argentina vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyArgentina: 77.4 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityArgentina: 1 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityArgentina: 9 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionArgentina: 3.67% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateArgentina: 10.6 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationArgentina: 45.5 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthArgentina: 0.35% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateArgentina: 1.5 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationArgentina: 92.4% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageArgentina: 32.1 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overArgentina: 12.2% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateArgentina: 0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingArgentina: 0.56% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsArgentina: $3.73B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military share of state spendingArgentina: 1.8% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelArgentina: 103,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerArgentina: 0.45% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersArgentina: 0.53% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsArgentina: 108 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsArgentina: 1 million TIV in 2011South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025