China vs South Africa
China vs South Africa: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $335B in China and $3B in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $332B, or 110 times that in South Africa.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- China has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1989.
- In 2025, China ranked 2 and South Africa ranked 53 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | China | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $335B | $3B |
| 2024 | $312B | $3.03B |
| 2023 | $292B | $3.21B |
| 2022 | $274B | $3.42B |
| 2021 | $263B | $3.39B |
| 2020 | $256B | $3.6B |
| 2019 | $244B | $3.47B |
| 2018 | $233B | $3.49B |
| 2017 | $220B | $3.64B |
| 2016 | $207B | $3.69B |
| 2015 | $196B | $3.79B |
| 2014 | $182B | $3.76B |
| 2013 | $168B | $3.76B |
| 2012 | $156B | $3.68B |
| 2011 | $141B | $3.53B |
| 2010 | $132B | $3.4B |
| 2009 | $125B | $3.52B |
| 2008 | $103B | $3.36B |
| 2007 | $94.4B | $3.38B |
| 2006 | $85.9B | $3.43B |
| 2005 | $74.6B | $3.39B |
| 2004 | $68B | $3.05B |
| 2003 | $61.7B | $2.95B |
| 2002 | $57B | $2.98B |
| 2001 | $49.6B | $2.72B |
| 2000 | $41.9B | $2.43B |
| 1999 | $38.7B | $2.07B |
| 1998 | $31.7B | $2.16B |
| 1997 | $29.1B | $2.44B |
| 1996 | $27.2B | $2.65B |
| 1995 | $25.7B | $3.05B |
| 1994 | $24.8B | $3.43B |
| 1993 | $25.7B | $3.22B |
| 1992 | $28B | $3.48B |
| 1991 | $23B | $4.04B |
| 1990 | $21.6B | $4.92B |
| 1989 | $19.9B | $5.46B |
| 1988 | – | $5.54B |
| 1987 | – | $4.72B |
| 1986 | – | $4.27B |
| 1985 | – | $4.19B |
| 1984 | – | $4.22B |
| 1983 | – | $3.92B |
| 1982 | – | $3.86B |
| 1981 | – | $3.92B |
| 1980 | – | $3.54B |
| 1979 | – | $3.54B |
| 1978 | – | $3.96B |
| 1977 | – | $4.41B |
| 1976 | – | $3.97B |
| 1975 | – | $3.2B |
| 1974 | – | $2.55B |
| 1973 | – | $1.98B |
| 1972 | – | $1.57B |
| 1971 | – | $1.54B |
| 1970 | – | $1.4B |
| 1969 | – | $1.48B |
| 1968 | – | $1.44B |
| 1967 | – | $1.37B |
| 1966 | – | $1.23B |
| 1965 | – | $1.14B |
| 1964 | – | $1.11B |
| 1963 | – | $791M |
| 1962 | – | $790M |
| 1961 | – | $489M |
| 1960 | – | $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
China vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025