Ireland vs South Africa
Ireland vs South Africa: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $1.46B in Ireland and $3B in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Africa, by $1.53B, or 2.05 times that in Ireland.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 1961, when it overtook Ireland.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Ireland | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.46B | $3B |
| 2024 | $1.33B | $3.03B |
| 2023 | $1.3B | $3.21B |
| 2022 | $1.3B | $3.42B |
| 2021 | $1.36B | $3.39B |
| 2020 | $1.3B | $3.6B |
| 2019 | $1.28B | $3.47B |
| 2018 | $1.22B | $3.49B |
| 2017 | $1.2B | $3.64B |
| 2016 | $1.19B | $3.69B |
| 2015 | $1.18B | $3.79B |
| 2014 | $1.18B | $3.76B |
| 2013 | $1.18B | $3.76B |
| 2012 | $1.19B | $3.68B |
| 2011 | $1.26B | $3.53B |
| 2010 | $1.33B | $3.4B |
| 2009 | $1.39B | $3.52B |
| 2008 | $1.41B | $3.36B |
| 2007 | $1.36B | $3.38B |
| 2006 | $1.35B | $3.43B |
| 2005 | $1.36B | $3.39B |
| 2004 | $1.34B | $3.05B |
| 2003 | $1.32B | $2.95B |
| 2002 | $1.38B | $2.98B |
| 2001 | $1.44B | $2.72B |
| 2000 | $1.33B | $2.43B |
| 1999 | $1.29B | $2.07B |
| 1998 | $1.25B | $2.16B |
| 1997 | $1.24B | $2.44B |
| 1996 | $1.17B | $2.65B |
| 1995 | $1.11B | $3.05B |
| 1994 | $1.1B | $3.43B |
| 1993 | $1.08B | $3.22B |
| 1992 | $1.07B | $3.48B |
| 1991 | $1.08B | $4.04B |
| 1990 | $1.03B | $4.92B |
| 1989 | $908M | $5.46B |
| 1988 | $918M | $5.54B |
| 1987 | $923M | $4.72B |
| 1986 | $988M | $4.27B |
| 1985 | $962M | $4.19B |
| 1984 | $933M | $4.22B |
| 1983 | $964M | $3.92B |
| 1982 | $1.03B | $3.86B |
| 1981 | $1.02B | $3.92B |
| 1980 | $1.06B | $3.54B |
| 1979 | $1.01B | $3.54B |
| 1978 | $913M | $3.96B |
| 1977 | $853M | $4.41B |
| 1976 | $838M | $3.97B |
| 1975 | $811M | $3.2B |
| 1974 | $668M | $2.55B |
| 1973 | $659M | $1.98B |
| 1972 | $616M | $1.57B |
| 1971 | $519M | $1.54B |
| 1970 | $460M | $1.4B |
| 1969 | $407M | $1.48B |
| 1968 | $390M | $1.44B |
| 1967 | $379M | $1.37B |
| 1966 | $372M | $1.23B |
| 1965 | $391M | $1.14B |
| 1964 | $379M | $1.11B |
| 1963 | $339M | $791M |
| 1962 | $335M | $790M |
| 1961 | $330M | $489M |
| 1960 | $318M | $307M |
| 1959 | $299M | $269M |
| 1958 | $285M | $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
Ireland vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyIreland: 82.4 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIreland: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIreland: 2.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionIreland: 4.25% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateIreland: 8.4 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIreland: 5.2 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthIreland: 1.19% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIreland: 1.6 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIreland: 64.6% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageIreland: 38.4 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIreland: 15.5% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateIreland: 8.4 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIreland: 0.22% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personIreland: $272 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingIreland: 0.9% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelIreland: 9,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerIreland: 0.05% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIreland: 0.37% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIreland: 14 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIreland: 24 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025