Botswana vs South Africa
Botswana vs South Africa: Armed forces, share of workers
Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 0.92% of the labour force in Botswana and 0.4% of the labour force in South Africa, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Botswana, by 0.53 percentage points, or 2.32 times that in South Africa.
% of the labour force · IISS
What the numbers say
- Botswana has been higher since 1997, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2020, Botswana ranked 74 and South Africa ranked 131 of 168 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 0.79% of the labour force in 2020.
Every year
% of the labour force · IISS
| Year | Botswana | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0.92 | 0.4 | 0.79 |
| 2019 | 0.91 | 0.38 | 0.79 |
| 2018 | 0.93 | 0.38 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 0.96 | 0.35 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 0.98 | 0.36 | 0.81 |
| 2015 | 1 | 0.37 | 0.82 |
| 2014 | 1.19 | 0.39 | 0.82 |
| 2013 | 1.21 | 0.37 | 0.83 |
| 2012 | 1.24 | 0.31 | 0.87 |
| 2011 | 1.27 | 0.4 | 0.88 |
| 2010 | 1.31 | 0.4 | 0.89 |
| 2009 | 1.28 | 0.39 | 0.89 |
| 2008 | 1.39 | 0.31 | 0.89 |
| 2007 | 1.45 | 0.31 | 0.89 |
| 2006 | 1.51 | 0.53 | 0.95 |
| 2005 | 1.55 | 0.29 | 0.96 |
| 2004 | 1.45 | 0.29 | 0.94 |
| 2003 | 1.57 | 0.3 | 0.98 |
| 2002 | 1.62 | 0.33 | 1 |
| 2001 | 1.59 | 0.37 | 1.01 |
| 2000 | 1.65 | 0.41 | 1.07 |
| 1999 | 1.68 | 0.45 | 1.09 |
| 1998 | 1.64 | 1.25 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 1.51 | 1.31 | 1.15 |
| 1996 | 1.55 | 1.7 | 1.18 |
| 1995 | 1.6 | 1.71 | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 1.36 | 0.47 | 0.94 |
| 1993 | 1.41 | 0.48 | 0.98 |
| 1992 | 1.46 | 0.49 | 1.03 |
| 1991 | 1.51 | 0.53 | 1.03 |
| 1990 | 1.34 | 0.58 | 1.11 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 168 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Botswana vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyBotswana: 69.2 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBotswana: 3.3 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBotswana: 28.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionBotswana: 3.97% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateBotswana: 10 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBotswana: 2.48 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthBotswana: 1.64% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBotswana: 2.73 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBotswana: 68% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageBotswana: 22.9 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBotswana: 4% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateBotswana: -2.6 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBotswana: 3.11% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBotswana: $595M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personBotswana: $242 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBotswana: 8.9% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBotswana: 9,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerBotswana: 0.02% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Arms importsBotswana: 11 million TIV in 2024South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025