Burkina Faso vs South Africa
Burkina Faso vs South Africa: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 13.2% of government spending in Burkina Faso and 2.2% of government spending in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Burkina Faso, by 11 percentage points, or 6.03 times that in South Africa.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Burkina Faso has been higher since 2003, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, Burkina Faso ranked 19 and South Africa ranked 135 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | Burkina Faso | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13.2 | 2.2 |
| 2024 | 15.9 | 2.3 |
| 2023 | 14 | 2.5 |
| 2022 | 9.2 | 2.7 |
| 2021 | 8.4 | 2.6 |
| 2020 | 8.8 | 2.8 |
| 2019 | 9.5 | 2.8 |
| 2018 | 7.9 | 3 |
| 2017 | 5.2 | 3.2 |
| 2016 | 5.4 | 3.2 |
| 2015 | 6.1 | 3.3 |
| 2014 | 6.1 | 3.5 |
| 2013 | 4.9 | 3.6 |
| 2012 | 5.2 | 3.6 |
| 2011 | 5.6 | 3.6 |
| 2010 | 5.7 | 3.5 |
| 2009 | 6.3 | 3.8 |
| 2008 | 6.7 | 4 |
| 2007 | 6.2 | 4.3 |
| 2006 | 5.1 | 4.7 |
| 2005 | 5.9 | 4.9 |
| 2004 | 6 | 5.3 |
| 2003 | 6.1 | 5.8 |
| 2002 | 6.1 | 6.2 |
| 2001 | 5.9 | 5.9 |
| 2000 | 6.2 | 5.5 |
| 1999 | 5.8 | – |
| 1998 | 6.3 | – |
| 1997 | 7 | – |
| 1996 | 6.5 | – |
| 1995 | 7.1 | – |
| 1994 | 8 | – |
| 1993 | 9.4 | – |
| 1992 | 11.3 | – |
| 1991 | 11.6 | – |
| 1990 | 13.1 | – |
| 1989 | 16 | – |
| 1988 | 12 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The part of everything the government spends that goes on its armed forces and defence, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Ranks count the 150 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
Burkina Faso vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyBurkina Faso: 61.1 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBurkina Faso: 7.5 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBurkina Faso: 52.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionBurkina Faso: 3.69% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateBurkina Faso: 13.2 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBurkina Faso: 23 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthBurkina Faso: 2.26% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBurkina Faso: 4.19 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBurkina Faso: 28.9% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageBurkina Faso: 17.3 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBurkina Faso: 2.6% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateBurkina Faso: -1.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personBurkina Faso: $787 in 2025South Africa: $5,713 in 2025
- GDP growthBurkina Faso: 5.3% a year in 2025South Africa: 1.1% a year in 2025
- InflationBurkina Faso: -0.6% a year in 2025South Africa: 3.2% a year in 2025
- Government debtBurkina Faso: 53.2% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 76% of GDP in 2024
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBurkina Faso: 3.3% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBurkina Faso: $844M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personBurkina Faso: $37 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBurkina Faso: 11,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerBurkina Faso: 0.09% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBurkina Faso: 0.12% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBurkina Faso: 34 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025