Ethiopia vs South Africa
Ethiopia vs South Africa: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 4.1% of government spending in Ethiopia and 2.2% of government spending in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Ethiopia, by 1.9 percentage points, or 1.88 times that in South Africa.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Ethiopia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2000.
- In 2025, Ethiopia ranked 102 and South Africa ranked 135 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | Ethiopia | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.1 | 2.2 |
| 2024 | 5.2 | 2.3 |
| 2023 | 7.1 | 2.5 |
| 2022 | 6.8 | 2.7 |
| 2021 | 3.2 | 2.6 |
| 2020 | 3.2 | 2.8 |
| 2019 | 3.6 | 2.8 |
| 2018 | 3.9 | 3 |
| 2017 | 3.8 | 3.2 |
| 2016 | 3.8 | 3.2 |
| 2015 | 3.9 | 3.3 |
| 2014 | 4.2 | 3.5 |
| 2013 | 4.5 | 3.6 |
| 2012 | 5.2 | 3.6 |
| 2011 | 5.8 | 3.6 |
| 2010 | 5.9 | 3.5 |
| 2009 | 6.9 | 3.8 |
| 2008 | 8 | 4 |
| 2007 | 9.1 | 4.3 |
| 2006 | 10.3 | 4.7 |
| 2005 | 12.1 | 4.9 |
| 2004 | 13.3 | 5.3 |
| 2003 | 12 | 5.8 |
| 2002 | 14.8 | 6.2 |
| 2001 | 19.2 | 5.9 |
| 2000 | 29.5 | 5.5 |
| 1999 | 36.2 | – |
| 1998 | 28.8 | – |
| 1997 | 15.1 | – |
| 1996 | 7.9 | – |
| 1995 | 9 | – |
| 1994 | 11.5 | – |
| 1993 | 15.7 | – |
| 1992 | 17 | – |
| 1991 | 22.6 | – |
| 1990 | 30.8 | – |
| 1989 | 28.2 | – |
| 1988 | 26 | – |
- Estimate
- Highly uncertain
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.
- 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 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
Ethiopia vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyEthiopia: 67.3 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityEthiopia: 4.5 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityEthiopia: 33 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionEthiopia: 3.82% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateEthiopia: 9.6 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationEthiopia: 129 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthEthiopia: 2.59% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateEthiopia: 3.99 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationEthiopia: 24.1% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageEthiopia: 18.7 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overEthiopia: 3.2% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateEthiopia: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingEthiopia: 0.49% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsEthiopia: $785M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personEthiopia: $4 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelEthiopia: 138,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerEthiopia: 0.85% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersEthiopia: 0.28% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsEthiopia: 63 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsEthiopia: 17 million TIV in 1997South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025