Egypt vs South Africa
Egypt vs South Africa: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $2.26B in Egypt and $3B in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Africa, by $737M, or 1.33 times that in Egypt.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 2022, when it overtook Egypt.
- In 2025, Egypt ranked 62 and South Africa ranked 53 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Egypt | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2.26B | $3B |
| 2024 | $2.4B | $3.03B |
| 2023 | $2.75B | $3.21B |
| 2022 | $3.38B | $3.42B |
| 2021 | $3.5B | $3.39B |
| 2020 | $3.24B | $3.6B |
| 2019 | $3B | $3.47B |
| 2018 | $2.89B | $3.49B |
| 2017 | $2.94B | $3.64B |
| 2016 | $3.49B | $3.69B |
| 2015 | $3.7B | $3.79B |
| 2014 | $3.49B | $3.76B |
| 2013 | $3.2B | $3.76B |
| 2012 | $3.22B | $3.68B |
| 2011 | $3.31B | $3.53B |
| 2010 | $3.41B | $3.4B |
| 2009 | $3.41B | $3.52B |
| 2008 | $3.52B | $3.36B |
| 2007 | $3.78B | $3.38B |
| 2006 | $3.75B | $3.43B |
| 2005 | $3.66B | $3.39B |
| 2004 | $3.67B | $3.05B |
| 2003 | $3.88B | $2.95B |
| 2002 | $3.8B | $2.98B |
| 2001 | $3.36B | $2.72B |
| 2000 | $2.79B | $2.43B |
| 1999 | $2.61B | $2.07B |
| 1998 | $2.6B | $2.16B |
| 1997 | $2.58B | $2.44B |
| 1996 | $2.52B | $2.65B |
| 1995 | $2.49B | $3.05B |
| 1994 | $2.53B | $3.43B |
| 1993 | $2.41B | $3.22B |
| 1992 | $2.49B | $3.48B |
| 1991 | $2.54B | $4.04B |
| 1990 | $2.52B | $4.92B |
| 1989 | $2.56B | $5.46B |
| 1988 | $3.18B | $5.54B |
| 1987 | $4.03B | $4.72B |
| 1986 | $4.75B | $4.27B |
| 1985 | $5.23B | $4.19B |
| 1984 | $5.22B | $4.22B |
| 1983 | $4.9B | $3.92B |
| 1982 | $4.37B | $3.86B |
| 1981 | $3.95B | $3.92B |
| 1980 | $3.27B | $3.54B |
| 1979 | $3.34B | $3.54B |
| 1978 | $4.43B | $3.96B |
| 1977 | $5.44B | $4.41B |
| 1976 | $4.91B | $3.97B |
| 1975 | $4.74B | $3.2B |
| 1974 | $5B | $2.55B |
| 1973 | $3.76B | $1.98B |
| 1972 | $3.7B | $1.57B |
| 1971 | $4.48B | $1.54B |
| 1970 | $3.99B | $1.4B |
| 1969 | $3.37B | $1.48B |
| 1968 | $2.54B | $1.44B |
| 1967 | $1.96B | $1.37B |
| 1966 | $1.87B | $1.23B |
| 1965 | $2.18B | $1.14B |
| 1964 | $2.18B | $1.11B |
| 1963 | $1.69B | $791M |
| 1962 | $1.18B | $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
Egypt vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyEgypt: 71.6 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityEgypt: 2.2 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityEgypt: 14.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionEgypt: 3.24% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateEgypt: 5.5 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationEgypt: 115 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthEgypt: 1.82% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateEgypt: 2.75 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationEgypt: 42.9% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageEgypt: 24 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overEgypt: 5% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateEgypt: 2.7 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingEgypt: 0.61% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personEgypt: $21 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingEgypt: 2.5% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelEgypt: 836,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerEgypt: 1.18% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersEgypt: 2.76% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsEgypt: 697 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsEgypt: 2 million TIV in 2024South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025