Benin vs South Africa

Benin vs South Africa: Military spending

Military spending in 2025: 0.89% of GDP in Benin and 0.74% of GDP in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Benin, by 0.15 percentage points, or 1.21 times that in South Africa.

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% of GDP · SIPRI

Benin vs South Africa: Military spendingMilitary spending in 2025: 0.89% of GDP in Benin and 0.74% of GDP in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Benin, by 0.15 percentage points, or 1.21 times that in South Africa.
BeninSouth AfricaSIPRI estimate

What the numbers say

  • Benin has been higher since 2024, when it overtook South Africa.
  • In 2025, Benin ranked 117 and South Africa ranked 128 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.

Every year

% of GDP · SIPRI

YearBeninSouth Africa
20250.890.74
20240.780.76
20230.760.8
20220.630.85
20210.550.84
20200.460.96
20190.470.88
20180.630.89
20170.920.94
20160.670.97
20150.81.01
20140.71.02
20130.691.03
20120.71.03
2011–1
2010–1
2009–1.09
20080.661.04
2007–1.06
20060.671.15
20050.681.24
20040.681.36
20030.651.47
20020.621.53
20010.361.48
20000.411.39
19990.491.27
1998–1.38
1997–1.58
1996–1.76
1995–2.12
1994–2.56
1993–2.5
1992–2.82
1991–3.22
19901.233.9
19891.314.36
19881.564.62
19871.574.19
19861.363.82
19851.313.7
19841.463.7
19831.193.61
19821.053.61
19811.553.64
19802.033.31
19791.933.86
19781.194.56
19771.685.26
19761.284.73
19751.493.88
19741.443.09
19731.682.65
19721.492.37
19711.62.46
19701.632.33
19691.92.61
19682.072.76
19671.982.79
19661.92.71
19652.112.63
19642.182.7
19631.742.07
19621.752.26
19611.41.47
19600.870.95
1959–0.88
1958–0.98
1957–1.3
1956–1.29
1955–1.22
1954–1.2
1953–1.35
1952–1.74
1951–1.62
  • Estimate

Each country on its own

Good to know

  • What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, as a share of its economy, 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

Benin vs South Africa

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