Burkina Faso vs South Africa
Burkina Faso vs South Africa: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $844M in Burkina Faso and $3B in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Africa, by $2.15B, or 3.55 times that in Burkina Faso.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1960.
- In 2025, Burkina Faso ranked 83 and South Africa ranked 53 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Burkina Faso | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $844M | $3B |
| 2024 | $1.02B | $3.03B |
| 2023 | $862M | $3.21B |
| 2022 | $607M | $3.42B |
| 2021 | $503M | $3.39B |
| 2020 | $451M | $3.6B |
| 2019 | $438M | $3.47B |
| 2018 | $344M | $3.49B |
| 2017 | $230M | $3.64B |
| 2016 | $185M | $3.69B |
| 2015 | $184M | $3.79B |
| 2014 | $185M | $3.76B |
| 2013 | $173M | $3.76B |
| 2012 | $160M | $3.68B |
| 2011 | $144M | $3.53B |
| 2010 | $139M | $3.4B |
| 2009 | $135M | $3.52B |
| 2008 | $121M | $3.36B |
| 2007 | $132M | $3.38B |
| 2006 | $96.7M | $3.43B |
| 2005 | $101M | $3.39B |
| 2004 | $96.2M | $3.05B |
| 2003 | $81.4M | $2.95B |
| 2002 | $83.4M | $2.98B |
| 2001 | $77.7M | $2.72B |
| 2000 | $78.9M | $2.43B |
| 1999 | $77.4M | $2.07B |
| 1998 | $69.5M | $2.16B |
| 1997 | $70.5M | $2.44B |
| 1996 | $60.9M | $2.65B |
| 1995 | $62.6M | $3.05B |
| 1994 | $61.4M | $3.43B |
| 1993 | $78.4M | $3.22B |
| 1992 | $86.6M | $3.48B |
| 1991 | $88.4M | $4.04B |
| 1990 | $106M | $4.92B |
| 1989 | $97.7M | $5.46B |
| 1988 | $77.7M | $5.54B |
| 1987 | $72.5M | $4.72B |
| 1986 | $82M | $4.27B |
| 1985 | $54.9M | $4.19B |
| 1984 | $56.8M | $4.22B |
| 1983 | $56.4M | $3.92B |
| 1982 | $59M | $3.86B |
| 1981 | $56.4M | $3.92B |
| 1980 | $49.2M | $3.54B |
| 1979 | $50.3M | $3.54B |
| 1978 | $62.1M | $3.96B |
| 1977 | $51.8M | $4.41B |
| 1976 | $55.8M | $3.97B |
| 1975 | $42.4M | $3.2B |
| 1974 | $19.6M | $2.55B |
| 1973 | $19.2M | $1.98B |
| 1972 | $19M | $1.57B |
| 1971 | $17.7M | $1.54B |
| 1970 | $17.4M | $1.4B |
| 1969 | $16M | $1.48B |
| 1968 | $15.7M | $1.44B |
| 1967 | $15.3M | $1.37B |
| 1966 | $15.4M | $1.23B |
| 1965 | $14.1M | $1.14B |
| 1964 | $21.4M | $1.11B |
| 1963 | $21.5M | $791M |
| 1962 | $21.1M | $790M |
| 1961 | $7.18M | $489M |
| 1960 | $6.57M | $307M |
| 1959 | – | $269M |
| 1958 | – | $286M |
| 1957 | – | $381M |
| 1956 | – | $264M |
| 1955 | – | $235M |
| 1954 | – | $227M |
| 1953 | – | $242M |
| 1952 | – | $284M |
| 1951 | – | $268M |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, 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
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 per personBurkina Faso: $37 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBurkina Faso: 13.2% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending 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