Lesotho vs South Africa

Lesotho vs South Africa: Arms imports

Arms imports: 1 million TIV in Lesotho in 2019 and 30 million TIV in South Africa in 2025, by SIPRI estimates. In 2006 the value was higher in South Africa, by 740 million TIV, or 740 times that in Lesotho.

Watch it change on the map

SIPRI trend-indicator values · SIPRI

Lesotho vs South Africa: Arms importsArms imports: 1 million TIV in Lesotho in 2019 and 30 million TIV in South Africa in 2025, by SIPRI estimates. In 2006 the value was higher in South Africa, by 740 million TIV, or 740 times that in Lesotho.
LesothoSouth AfricaWorld

What the numbers say

  • South Africa has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1977.
  • The world as a whole: 24.4 billion TIV in 2006.

Every year

SIPRI trend-indicator values · SIPRI

YearLesothoSouth AfricaWorld
2025–30 million33.3 billion
2024––30.6 billion
2023–30 million29.5 billion
2022–30 million33 billion
2021––26.8 billion
2020––23.4 billion
20191 million–26.9 billion
20181 million–27.3 billion
20171 million–31.2 billion
2016––31.4 billion
2015–2 million28.7 billion
2014–50 million27 billion
2013–1 million27.4 billion
2012–127 million27.9 billion
2011–208 million29.9 billion
2010–178 million25.8 billion
2009–134 million24 billion
2008–493 million24.1 billion
2007–910 million26.5 billion
20061 million741 million24.4 billion
2005–262 million21.3 billion
20041 million–21.3 billion
2003––19.2 billion
2002––17.7 billion
20016 million18 million18.3 billion
2000–6 million20.5 billion
1999–21 million25.3 billion
19985 million–27.9 billion
1997–11 million28.9 billion
1996–38 million23.7 billion
1995–38 million22.9 billion
1994–239 million22.8 billion
1993–238 million25.8 billion
1992–361 million24.3 billion
19914 million26 million27.8 billion
1990–10 million28.6 billion
19898 million11 million31.7 billion
1988–17 million32.9 billion
1987–20 million36.2 billion
198610 million191 million35.5 billion
1985025 million33.2 billion
1984–100 million36.8 billion
19831 million192 million39.1 billion
1982–44 million41.4 billion
1981–122 million42 billion
19803 million192 million37.4 billion
19795 million125 million33.3 billion
1978–389 million39.2 billion
19771 million500 million37 billion
1976–419 million33 billion
1975–235 million34.2 billion
1974–177 million32.9 billion
1973–369 million32.6 billion
1972–291 million28.7 billion
1971–309 million29.3 billion
1970–511 million22.1 billion
1969–211 million24.7 billion
1968–217 million22.4 billion
1967–299 million22.1 billion
1966–496 million22.4 billion
1965–386 million23.1 billion
1964–302 million24.2 billion
1963–520 million18.1 billion
1962–232 million15.5 billion
1961––15 billion
1960–13 million15.7 billion

Each country on its own

Good to know

  • Major weapons the country received, in SIPRI trend-indicator values (TIV): what the arms are worth as military capability, priced by their production cost, not what was paid.
  • Source: SIPRI Arms Transfers Database, via the World Bank.
  • Ranks count the 110 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
  • The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

Lesotho vs South Africa

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