Colombia vs South Africa
Colombia vs South Africa: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $273 in Colombia and $49 in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Colombia, by $224, or 5.53 times that in South Africa.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Colombia has been higher since 1996, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, Colombia ranked 52 and South Africa ranked 100 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Colombia | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $273 | $49 |
| 2024 | $264 | $48 |
| 2023 | $207 | $49 |
| 2022 | $188 | $56 |
| 2021 | $200 | $58 |
| 2020 | $190 | $54 |
| 2019 | $206 | $58 |
| 2018 | $209 | $62 |
| 2017 | $210 | $63 |
| 2016 | $184 | $55 |
| 2015 | $195 | $62 |
| 2014 | $256 | $71 |
| 2013 | $272 | $76 |
| 2012 | $257 | $84 |
| 2011 | $229 | $87 |
| 2010 | $234 | $81 |
| 2009 | $205 | $70 |
| 2008 | $208 | $65 |
| 2007 | $158 | $70 |
| 2006 | $126 | $70 |
| 2005 | $117 | $72 |
| 2004 | $98 | $64 |
| 2003 | $81 | $53 |
| 2002 | $84 | $37 |
| 2001 | $83 | $38 |
| 2000 | $78 | $40 |
| 1999 | $85 | $37 |
| 1998 | $91 | $41 |
| 1997 | $81 | $53 |
| 1996 | $120 | $58 |
| 1995 | $74 | $74 |
| 1994 | $58 | $79 |
| 1993 | $45 | $76 |
| 1992 | $33 | $87 |
| 1991 | $28 | $94 |
| 1990 | $28 | $109 |
| 1989 | $28 | $107 |
| 1988 | $28 | $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
Colombia vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyColombia: 77.7 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityColombia: 1.2 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityColombia: 9.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionColombia: 2.2% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateColombia: 5.5 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationColombia: 52.3 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthColombia: 1.1% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateColombia: 1.65 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationColombia: 78.8% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageColombia: 31.6 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overColombia: 9.4% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateColombia: 3 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingColombia: 3.2% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsColombia: $13.7B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military share of state spendingColombia: 9.3% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelColombia: 428,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerColombia: 0.57% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersColombia: 1.7% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsColombia: 22 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsColombia: 4 million TIV in 2020South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025