Botswana vs South Africa
Botswana vs South Africa: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $242 in Botswana and $49 in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Botswana, by $192, or 4.9 times that in South Africa.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Botswana has been higher since 1990, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, Botswana ranked 55 and South Africa ranked 100 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Botswana | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $242 | $49 |
| 2024 | $208 | $48 |
| 2023 | $142 | $49 |
| 2022 | $212 | $56 |
| 2021 | $225 | $58 |
| 2020 | $213 | $54 |
| 2019 | $222 | $58 |
| 2018 | $218 | $62 |
| 2017 | $232 | $63 |
| 2016 | $232 | $55 |
| 2015 | $175 | $62 |
| 2014 | $161 | $71 |
| 2013 | $144 | $76 |
| 2012 | $156 | $84 |
| 2011 | $177 | $87 |
| 2010 | $173 | $81 |
| 2009 | $168 | $70 |
| 2008 | $172 | $65 |
| 2007 | $162 | $70 |
| 2006 | $147 | $70 |
| 2005 | $156 | $72 |
| 2004 | $175 | $64 |
| 2003 | $171 | $53 |
| 2002 | $129 | $37 |
| 2001 | $124 | $38 |
| 2000 | $111 | $40 |
| 1999 | $104 | $37 |
| 1998 | $114 | $41 |
| 1997 | $103 | $53 |
| 1996 | $93 | $58 |
| 1995 | $112 | $74 |
| 1994 | $118 | $79 |
| 1993 | $133 | $76 |
| 1992 | $131 | $87 |
| 1991 | $130 | $94 |
| 1990 | $121 | $109 |
| 1989 | $82 | $107 |
| 1988 | $77 | $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
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 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
- Armed forces, share of workersBotswana: 0.92% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBotswana: 11 million TIV in 2024South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025