Burkina Faso vs South Africa
Burkina Faso vs South Africa: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $37 in Burkina Faso and $49 in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Africa, by $12, or 1.32 times that in Burkina Faso.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1988.
- In 2025, Burkina Faso ranked 108 and South Africa ranked 100 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Burkina Faso | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $37 | $49 |
| 2024 | $44 | $48 |
| 2023 | $36 | $49 |
| 2022 | $25 | $56 |
| 2021 | $21 | $58 |
| 2020 | $18 | $54 |
| 2019 | $17 | $58 |
| 2018 | $15 | $62 |
| 2017 | $10 | $63 |
| 2016 | $8 | $55 |
| 2015 | $8 | $62 |
| 2014 | $10 | $71 |
| 2013 | $10 | $76 |
| 2012 | $9 | $84 |
| 2011 | $8 | $87 |
| 2010 | $8 | $81 |
| 2009 | $8 | $70 |
| 2008 | $8 | $65 |
| 2007 | $7 | $70 |
| 2006 | $5 | $70 |
| 2005 | $5 | $72 |
| 2004 | $5 | $64 |
| 2003 | $4 | $53 |
| 2002 | $3 | $37 |
| 2001 | $3 | $38 |
| 2000 | $3 | $40 |
| 1999 | $4 | $37 |
| 1998 | $4 | $41 |
| 1997 | $4 | $53 |
| 1996 | $4 | $58 |
| 1995 | $4 | $74 |
| 1994 | $3 | $79 |
| 1993 | $6 | $76 |
| 1992 | $7 | $87 |
| 1991 | $7 | $94 |
| 1990 | $9 | $109 |
| 1989 | $8 | $107 |
| 1988 | $7 | $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
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 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