Central African Republic vs South Sudan
Central African Republic vs South Sudan: Military spending
Military spending in 2025: 2.33% of GDP in Central African Republic and 3.43% of GDP in South Sudan, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Sudan, by 1.09 percentage points, or 1.47 times that in Central African Republic.
% of GDP · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Sudan has been higher since 2023, when it overtook Central African Republic.
- In 2025, Central African Republic ranked 42 and South Sudan ranked 15 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of GDP · SIPRI
| Year | Central African Republic | South Sudan |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.33 | 3.43 |
| 2024 | 2.6 | 6.55 |
| 2023 | 2.38 | 2.38 |
| 2022 | 1.71 | 1.58 |
| 2021 | 2.15 | 1.51 |
| 2020 | 1.86 | 1.87 |
| 2019 | 1.79 | 3.8 |
| 2018 | 1.34 | 4.77 |
| 2017 | 1.34 | 3.99 |
| 2016 | 1.47 | 4.85 |
| 2015 | 1.58 | 8.6 |
| 2014 | 2.03 | 8.58 |
| 2013 | 2.83 | 6.57 |
| 2012 | 1.7 | 8.77 |
| 2011 | 2.05 | 6.09 |
| 2010 | 2.41 | 4.14 |
| 2009 | 1.75 | 4.97 |
| 2008 | 1.55 | 5.76 |
| 2007 | 1.09 | – |
| 2005 | 1.09 | – |
| 2004 | 1.15 | – |
| 2003 | 1.26 | – |
| 2002 | 1.09 | – |
| 1996 | 1.21 | – |
| 1995 | 1.17 | – |
| 1994 | 1.26 | – |
| 1993 | 1.5 | – |
| 1992 | 1.64 | – |
| 1991 | 1.57 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, as a share of its economy, 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 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
Central African Republic vs South Sudan
Health
- Life expectancyCentral African Republic: 57.4 years in 2023South Sudan: 57.6 years in 2023
- Child mortalityCentral African Republic: 9 per 100 live births in 2024South Sudan: 9.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityCentral African Republic: 68.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Sudan: 63.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionCentral African Republic: 4.21% in 2017South Sudan: 3.7% in 2017
- Suicide rateCentral African Republic: 16.9 per 100,000 people in 2017South Sudan: 12 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationCentral African Republic: 5.15 million people in 2023South Sudan: 11.5 million people in 2023
- Population growthCentral African Republic: 3.41% a year in 2023South Sudan: 5.86% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateCentral African Republic: 6.01 births per woman in 2023South Sudan: 3.86 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationCentral African Republic: 44.6% in 2025South Sudan: 21.7% in 2025
- Median ageCentral African Republic: 14.3 years in 2023South Sudan: 18 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overCentral African Republic: 2.1% in 2023South Sudan: 2.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateCentral African Republic: -2.8 per 1,000 people in 2023South Sudan: 39.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personCentral African Republic: $394 in 2025South Sudan: $1,080 in 2015
- GDP growthCentral African Republic: 1.9% a year in 2022South Sudan: 41.4% a year in 2025
- InflationCentral African Republic: 1% a year in 2025South Sudan: 97.6% a year in 2025
- Government debtCentral African Republic: 42.6% of GDP in 2025South Sudan: 64.2% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending in US dollarsCentral African Republic: $68M in 2025South Sudan: $103M in 2025
- Military spending per personCentral African Republic: $14 in 2025South Sudan: $15 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingCentral African Republic: 12.5% of government spending in 2025South Sudan: 18.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelCentral African Republic: 10,000 people in 2020South Sudan: 53,000 people in 2020
- National powerCentral African Republic: 0.03% of world capability in 2022South Sudan: 0.08% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersCentral African Republic: 0.54% of the labour force in 2020South Sudan: 1.18% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsCentral African Republic: 43 million TIV in 2023South Sudan: 10 million TIV in 2022