Congo - Kinshasa vs South Africa
Congo - Kinshasa vs South Africa: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 8.1% of government spending in Congo - Kinshasa and 2.2% of government spending in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Congo - Kinshasa, by 5.9 percentage points, or 3.71 times that in South Africa.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Congo - Kinshasa has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2000.
- In 2025, Congo - Kinshasa ranked 38 and South Africa ranked 135 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | Congo - Kinshasa | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8.1 | 2.2 |
| 2024 | 7.2 | 2.3 |
| 2023 | 6.7 | 2.5 |
| 2022 | 3.1 | 2.7 |
| 2021 | 3.8 | 2.6 |
| 2020 | 5.8 | 2.8 |
| 2019 | 5.2 | 2.8 |
| 2018 | 5.2 | 3 |
| 2017 | 7.2 | 3.2 |
| 2016 | 7.4 | 3.2 |
| 2015 | 8 | 3.3 |
| 2014 | 6.9 | 3.5 |
| 2013 | 9 | 3.6 |
| 2012 | 8.3 | 3.6 |
| 2011 | 6.6 | 3.6 |
| 2010 | 5.4 | 3.5 |
| 2009 | 5.3 | 3.8 |
| 2008 | 6.9 | 4 |
| 2007 | 12.6 | 4.3 |
| 2006 | 15.7 | 4.7 |
| 2005 | 15.8 | 4.9 |
| 2004 | 16.5 | 5.3 |
| 2003 | 9.6 | 5.8 |
| 2002 | – | 6.2 |
| 2001 | – | 5.9 |
| 2000 | 8.8 | 5.5 |
| 1999 | 12.2 | – |
| 1998 | 3.5 | – |
| 1997 | 12.7 | – |
| 1996 | 16.1 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The part of everything the government spends that goes on its armed forces and defence, 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 150 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
Congo - Kinshasa vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyCongo - Kinshasa: 61.9 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityCongo - Kinshasa: 9 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityCongo - Kinshasa: 49.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionCongo - Kinshasa: 3.96% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateCongo - Kinshasa: 11.6 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationCongo - Kinshasa: 106 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthCongo - Kinshasa: 3.26% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateCongo - Kinshasa: 6.05 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationCongo - Kinshasa: 45.1% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageCongo - Kinshasa: 15.8 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overCongo - Kinshasa: 3.1% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateCongo - Kinshasa: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personCongo - Kinshasa: $568 in 2025South Africa: $5,713 in 2025
- GDP growthCongo - Kinshasa: 8.5% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.1% a year in 2025
- InflationCongo - Kinshasa: 7.4% a year in 2025South Africa: 3.2% a year in 2025
- Government debtCongo - Kinshasa: 17.2% of GDP in 2023South Africa: 76% of GDP in 2024
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingCongo - Kinshasa: 1.38% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsCongo - Kinshasa: $1.08B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personCongo - Kinshasa: $11 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelCongo - Kinshasa: 134,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerCongo - Kinshasa: 0.59% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersCongo - Kinshasa: 0.41% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsCongo - Kinshasa: 44 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsCongo - Kinshasa: 22 million TIV in 1997South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025
Climate
Technology and environment
- CO₂ per personCongo - Kinshasa: 0.06 tonnes in 2024South Africa: 6.88 tonnes in 2024
- Internet usersCongo - Kinshasa: 19.7% in 2024South Africa: 78.4% in 2024
- Access to electricityCongo - Kinshasa: 22.5% in 2024South Africa: 90.2% in 2024
- Forest areaCongo - Kinshasa: 61.5% in 2024South Africa: 18.8% in 2024