Lesotho vs South Africa
Lesotho vs South Africa: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 2.7% of government spending in Lesotho and 2.2% of government spending in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Lesotho, by 0.5 percentage points, or 1.23 times that in South Africa.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Lesotho has been higher since 2014, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, Lesotho ranked 122 and South Africa ranked 135 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | Lesotho | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.7 | 2.2 |
| 2024 | 2.8 | 2.3 |
| 2023 | 3.1 | 2.5 |
| 2022 | 2.9 | 2.7 |
| 2021 | 2.8 | 2.6 |
| 2020 | 3.4 | 2.8 |
| 2019 | 3.5 | 2.8 |
| 2018 | 3.8 | 3 |
| 2017 | 4.4 | 3.2 |
| 2016 | 3.6 | 3.2 |
| 2015 | 3.6 | 3.3 |
| 2014 | 3.8 | 3.5 |
| 2013 | 3.3 | 3.6 |
| 2012 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| 2011 | 3.7 | 3.6 |
| 2010 | 5.5 | 3.5 |
| 2009 | 4 | 3.8 |
| 2008 | 2.9 | 4 |
| 2007 | 4.7 | 4.3 |
| 2006 | 4.6 | 4.7 |
| 2005 | 5.1 | 4.9 |
| 2004 | 5.6 | 5.3 |
| 2003 | 5.8 | 5.8 |
| 2002 | 6 | 6.2 |
| 2001 | 6.6 | 5.9 |
| 2000 | 8.4 | 5.5 |
| 1999 | 7.1 | – |
| 1998 | 5.6 | – |
| 1997 | 6.1 | – |
| 1996 | 6.9 | – |
| 1995 | 7.8 | – |
| 1994 | 6.9 | – |
| 1993 | 6.9 | – |
| 1992 | 7.7 | – |
| 1991 | 9.3 | – |
| 1990 | 10.9 | – |
| 1989 | 11.3 | – |
| 1988 | 8.9 | – |
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.
- 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
Lesotho vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyLesotho: 57.4 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityLesotho: 6 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityLesotho: 56.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionLesotho: 5.64% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateLesotho: 31.7 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationLesotho: 2.31 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthLesotho: 1.12% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateLesotho: 2.69 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationLesotho: 44.7% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageLesotho: 21.4 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overLesotho: 3.8% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateLesotho: -2.2 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingLesotho: 1.63% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsLesotho: $37.3M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personLesotho: $17 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelLesotho: 2,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerLesotho: 0.01% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersLesotho: 0.24% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsLesotho: 1 million TIV in 2019South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025