Belgium vs South Africa
Belgium vs South Africa: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $1,237 in Belgium and $49 in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Belgium, by $1,188, or 25 times that in South Africa.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Belgium has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1988.
- In 2025, Belgium ranked 17 and South Africa ranked 100 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Belgium | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,237 | $49 |
| 2024 | $731 | $48 |
| 2023 | $653 | $49 |
| 2022 | $595 | $56 |
| 2021 | $540 | $58 |
| 2020 | $462 | $54 |
| 2019 | $416 | $58 |
| 2018 | $425 | $62 |
| 2017 | $391 | $63 |
| 2016 | $377 | $55 |
| 2015 | $374 | $62 |
| 2014 | $465 | $71 |
| 2013 | $473 | $76 |
| 2012 | $467 | $84 |
| 2011 | $501 | $87 |
| 2010 | $483 | $81 |
| 2009 | $525 | $70 |
| 2008 | $593 | $65 |
| 2007 | $489 | $70 |
| 2006 | $410 | $70 |
| 2005 | $405 | $72 |
| 2004 | $411 | $64 |
| 2003 | $375 | $53 |
| 2002 | $307 | $37 |
| 2001 | $296 | $38 |
| 2000 | $312 | $40 |
| 1999 | $352 | $37 |
| 1998 | $360 | $41 |
| 1997 | $362 | $53 |
| 1996 | $418 | $58 |
| 1995 | $439 | $74 |
| 1994 | $391 | $79 |
| 1993 | $372 | $76 |
| 1992 | $412 | $87 |
| 1991 | $464 | $94 |
| 1990 | $467 | $109 |
| 1989 | $391 | $107 |
| 1988 | $414 | $113 |
- Estimate
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
Belgium vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyBelgium: 82.1 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBelgium: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBelgium: 3.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionBelgium: 4.11% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateBelgium: 14.3 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBelgium: 11.7 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthBelgium: 0.25% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBelgium: 1.38 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBelgium: 87.7% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageBelgium: 41.4 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBelgium: 20.2% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateBelgium: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBelgium: 2.01% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBelgium: $13.6B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBelgium: 3.7% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBelgium: 24,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerBelgium: 0.22% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBelgium: 0.47% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBelgium: 430 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBelgium: 86 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025