Congo - Kinshasa vs South Africa
Congo - Kinshasa vs South Africa: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $1.08B in Congo - Kinshasa and $3B in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Africa, by $1.91B, or 2.77 times that in Congo - Kinshasa.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1963.
- In 2025, Congo - Kinshasa ranked 79 and South Africa ranked 53 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Congo - Kinshasa | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.08B | $3B |
| 2024 | $899M | $3.03B |
| 2023 | $763M | $3.21B |
| 2022 | $375M | $3.42B |
| 2021 | $334M | $3.39B |
| 2020 | $399M | $3.6B |
| 2019 | $386M | $3.47B |
| 2018 | $331M | $3.49B |
| 2017 | $385M | $3.64B |
| 2016 | $487M | $3.69B |
| 2015 | $572M | $3.79B |
| 2014 | $400M | $3.76B |
| 2013 | $442M | $3.76B |
| 2012 | $395M | $3.68B |
| 2011 | $286M | $3.53B |
| 2010 | $249M | $3.4B |
| 2009 | $183M | $3.52B |
| 2008 | $242M | $3.36B |
| 2007 | $338M | $3.38B |
| 2006 | $357M | $3.43B |
| 2005 | $329M | $3.39B |
| 2004 | $281M | $3.05B |
| 2003 | $169M | $2.95B |
| 2002 | – | $2.98B |
| 2001 | – | $2.72B |
| 2000 | $99.6M | $2.43B |
| 1999 | $134M | $2.07B |
| 1998 | $36.8M | $2.16B |
| 1997 | $122M | $2.44B |
| 1996 | $149M | $2.65B |
| 1995 | – | $3.05B |
| 1994 | – | $3.43B |
| 1993 | $431M | $3.22B |
| 1992 | $140M | $3.48B |
| 1991 | $73.5M | $4.04B |
| 1990 | $79.9M | $4.92B |
| 1989 | $113M | $5.46B |
| 1988 | $360M | $5.54B |
| 1987 | $48.8M | $4.72B |
| 1986 | $110M | $4.27B |
| 1985 | $79.6M | $4.19B |
| 1984 | $94.5M | $4.22B |
| 1983 | $75.8M | $3.92B |
| 1982 | $111M | $3.86B |
| 1981 | $56.5M | $3.92B |
| 1980 | $104M | $3.54B |
| 1979 | $118M | $3.54B |
| 1978 | $129M | $3.96B |
| 1977 | $148M | $4.41B |
| 1976 | $173M | $3.97B |
| 1975 | $283M | $3.2B |
| 1974 | $397M | $2.55B |
| 1973 | $278M | $1.98B |
| 1972 | $295M | $1.57B |
| 1971 | $370M | $1.54B |
| 1970 | $394M | $1.4B |
| 1969 | $301M | $1.48B |
| 1968 | $223M | $1.44B |
| 1967 | $215M | $1.37B |
| 1966 | $239M | $1.23B |
| 1965 | $279M | $1.14B |
| 1964 | $171M | $1.11B |
| 1963 | $124M | $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
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 per personCongo - Kinshasa: $11 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingCongo - Kinshasa: 8.1% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending 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