Australia vs South Africa
Australia vs South Africa: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $35.3B in Australia and $3B in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Australia, by $32.3B, or 12 times that in South Africa.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Australia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1951.
- In 2025, Australia ranked 17 and South Africa ranked 53 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Australia | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $35.3B | $3B |
| 2024 | $34.2B | $3.03B |
| 2023 | $33.2B | $3.21B |
| 2022 | $33.6B | $3.42B |
| 2021 | $33.4B | $3.39B |
| 2020 | $31.3B | $3.6B |
| 2019 | $29.8B | $3.47B |
| 2018 | $29B | $3.49B |
| 2017 | $29.7B | $3.64B |
| 2016 | $29.8B | $3.69B |
| 2015 | $27.2B | $3.79B |
| 2014 | $24.7B | $3.76B |
| 2013 | $22.7B | $3.76B |
| 2012 | $22.9B | $3.68B |
| 2011 | $23.8B | $3.53B |
| 2010 | $24.1B | $3.4B |
| 2009 | $23.8B | $3.52B |
| 2008 | $22.2B | $3.36B |
| 2007 | $21.4B | $3.38B |
| 2006 | $20.1B | $3.43B |
| 2005 | $19.1B | $3.39B |
| 2004 | $18.5B | $3.05B |
| 2003 | $17.7B | $2.95B |
| 2002 | $17.4B | $2.98B |
| 2001 | $16.7B | $2.72B |
| 2000 | $16.1B | $2.43B |
| 1999 | $16.1B | $2.07B |
| 1998 | $15.4B | $2.16B |
| 1997 | $14.6B | $2.44B |
| 1996 | $14.4B | $2.65B |
| 1995 | $14.6B | $3.05B |
| 1994 | $15B | $3.43B |
| 1993 | $14.9B | $3.22B |
| 1992 | $14.3B | $3.48B |
| 1991 | $13.9B | $4.04B |
| 1990 | $13.7B | $4.92B |
| 1989 | $13.6B | $5.46B |
| 1988 | $13.7B | $5.54B |
| 1987 | $14.2B | $4.72B |
| 1986 | $14.7B | $4.27B |
| 1985 | $14.7B | $4.19B |
| 1984 | $14B | $4.22B |
| 1983 | $13B | $3.92B |
| 1982 | $12.5B | $3.86B |
| 1981 | $11.9B | $3.92B |
| 1980 | $11.2B | $3.54B |
| 1979 | $10.6B | $3.54B |
| 1978 | $10.3B | $3.96B |
| 1977 | $10.2B | $4.41B |
| 1976 | $10.1B | $3.97B |
| 1975 | $9.95B | $3.2B |
| 1974 | $9.8B | $2.55B |
| 1973 | $9.93B | $1.98B |
| 1972 | $10.4B | $1.57B |
| 1971 | $10.4B | $1.54B |
| 1970 | $10.7B | $1.4B |
| 1969 | $11.4B | $1.48B |
| 1968 | $11.8B | $1.44B |
| 1967 | $11B | $1.37B |
| 1966 | $9.33B | $1.23B |
| 1965 | $7.67B | $1.14B |
| 1964 | $6.64B | $1.11B |
| 1963 | $5.73B | $791M |
| 1962 | $5.1B | $790M |
| 1961 | $4.89B | $489M |
| 1960 | $4.9B | $307M |
| 1959 | $4.98B | $269M |
| 1958 | $4.95B | $286M |
| 1957 | $5B | $381M |
| 1956 | $5.2B | $264M |
| 1955 | $5.37B | $235M |
| 1954 | $5.29B | $227M |
| 1953 | $5.9B | $242M |
| 1952 | $5.86B | $284M |
| 1951 | $4.59B | $268M |
| 1950 | $3.19B | – |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- 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
Australia vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyAustralia: 83.9 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityAustralia: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityAustralia: 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionAustralia: 4.62% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateAustralia: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationAustralia: 26.5 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthAustralia: 0.99% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateAustralia: 1.64 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationAustralia: 87.7% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageAustralia: 37.8 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overAustralia: 17.4% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateAustralia: 5.3 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingAustralia: 1.92% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personAustralia: $1,316 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingAustralia: 4.9% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelAustralia: 60,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerAustralia: 0.6% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersAustralia: 0.44% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsAustralia: 826 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsAustralia: 108 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025