Israel vs South Africa
Israel vs South Africa: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $5,108 in Israel and $49 in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Israel, by $5,059, or 100 times that in South Africa.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Israel has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1988.
- In 2025, Israel ranked 1 and South Africa ranked 100 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Israel | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,108 | $49 |
| 2024 | $4,926 | $48 |
| 2023 | $2,949 | $49 |
| 2022 | $2,526 | $56 |
| 2021 | $2,660 | $58 |
| 2020 | $2,411 | $54 |
| 2019 | $2,306 | $58 |
| 2018 | $2,284 | $62 |
| 2017 | $2,261 | $63 |
| 2016 | $2,041 | $55 |
| 2015 | $2,003 | $62 |
| 2014 | $2,193 | $71 |
| 2013 | $2,050 | $76 |
| 2012 | $1,855 | $84 |
| 2011 | $1,965 | $87 |
| 2010 | $1,881 | $81 |
| 2009 | $1,765 | $70 |
| 2008 | $1,943 | $65 |
| 2007 | $1,627 | $70 |
| 2006 | $1,360 | $70 |
| 2005 | $1,321 | $72 |
| 2004 | $1,306 | $64 |
| 2003 | $1,262 | $53 |
| 2002 | $1,251 | $37 |
| 2001 | $1,354 | $38 |
| 2000 | $1,361 | $40 |
| 1999 | $1,287 | $37 |
| 1998 | $1,395 | $41 |
| 1997 | $1,517 | $53 |
| 1996 | $1,544 | $58 |
| 1995 | $1,482 | $74 |
| 1994 | $1,509 | $79 |
| 1993 | $1,543 | $76 |
| 1992 | $1,495 | $87 |
| 1991 | $2,000 | $94 |
| 1990 | $1,477 | $109 |
| 1989 | $1,279 | $107 |
| 1988 | $1,638 | $113 |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- 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
Israel vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyIsrael: 82.4 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIsrael: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIsrael: 2.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionIsrael: 3.83% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateIsrael: 5.7 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIsrael: 9.26 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthIsrael: 1.42% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIsrael: 2.83 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIsrael: 91.6% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageIsrael: 29.2 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIsrael: 12.4% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateIsrael: 1.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIsrael: 7.81% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsIsrael: $43.7B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military share of state spendingIsrael: 17.8% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelIsrael: 178,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerIsrael: 0.38% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIsrael: 4.23% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIsrael: 537 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIsrael: 2.62 billion TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025