Mexico vs South Africa
Mexico vs South Africa: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $13.8B in Mexico and $3B in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Mexico, by $10.8B, or 4.6 times that in South Africa.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Mexico has been higher since 1993, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, Mexico ranked 28 and South Africa ranked 53 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Mexico | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $13.8B | $3B |
| 2024 | $20.6B | $3.03B |
| 2023 | $12B | $3.21B |
| 2022 | $12.2B | $3.42B |
| 2021 | $11.5B | $3.39B |
| 2020 | $11.9B | $3.6B |
| 2019 | $9.11B | $3.47B |
| 2018 | $8.29B | $3.49B |
| 2017 | $7.41B | $3.64B |
| 2016 | $8.18B | $3.69B |
| 2015 | $7.31B | $3.79B |
| 2014 | $7.79B | $3.76B |
| 2013 | $7.45B | $3.76B |
| 2012 | $7.05B | $3.68B |
| 2011 | $6.66B | $3.53B |
| 2010 | $6.1B | $3.4B |
| 2009 | $6.4B | $3.52B |
| 2008 | $5.33B | $3.36B |
| 2007 | $5.36B | $3.38B |
| 2006 | $4B | $3.43B |
| 2005 | $4.26B | $3.39B |
| 2004 | $4.19B | $3.05B |
| 2003 | $4.35B | $2.95B |
| 2002 | $4.36B | $2.98B |
| 2001 | $4.51B | $2.72B |
| 2000 | $4.56B | $2.43B |
| 1999 | $4.42B | $2.07B |
| 1998 | $4.2B | $2.16B |
| 1997 | $4.07B | $2.44B |
| 1996 | $4.07B | $2.65B |
| 1995 | $3.83B | $3.05B |
| 1994 | $4.58B | $3.43B |
| 1993 | $3.65B | $3.22B |
| 1992 | $3.42B | $3.48B |
| 1991 | $3.08B | $4.04B |
| 1990 | $2.92B | $4.92B |
| 1989 | $3.08B | $5.46B |
| 1988 | $2.91B | $5.54B |
| 1987 | $3.13B | $4.72B |
| 1986 | $3.23B | $4.27B |
| 1985 | $3.84B | $4.19B |
| 1984 | $3.69B | $4.22B |
| 1983 | $2.94B | $3.92B |
| 1982 | $3.07B | $3.86B |
| 1981 | $3.18B | $3.92B |
| 1980 | $2.4B | $3.54B |
| 1979 | $2.53B | $3.54B |
| 1978 | $2.27B | $3.96B |
| 1977 | $2.24B | $4.41B |
| 1976 | $2.39B | $3.97B |
| 1975 | $2.13B | $3.2B |
| 1974 | $1.98B | $2.55B |
| 1973 | $1.81B | $1.98B |
| 1972 | $1.64B | $1.57B |
| 1971 | $1.36B | $1.54B |
| 1970 | $1.32B | $1.4B |
| 1969 | $1.41B | $1.48B |
| 1968 | $1.21B | $1.44B |
| 1967 | $1.11B | $1.37B |
| 1966 | $1.12B | $1.23B |
| 1965 | $1.06B | $1.14B |
| 1964 | $1.11B | $1.11B |
| 1963 | $1.06B | $791M |
| 1962 | $943M | $790M |
| 1961 | $831M | $489M |
| 1960 | $821M | $307M |
| 1959 | $728M | $269M |
| 1958 | $744M | $286M |
| 1957 | $800M | $381M |
| 1956 | $737M | $264M |
| 1955 | $722M | $235M |
| 1954 | $762M | $227M |
| 1953 | $604M | $242M |
| 1952 | $533M | $284M |
| 1951 | $576M | $268M |
| 1950 | $569M | – |
| 1949 | $511M | – |
- 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
Mexico vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyMexico: 75.1 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMexico: 1.3 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMexico: 10.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionMexico: 2.79% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateMexico: 5.9 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMexico: 130 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthMexico: 0.88% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMexico: 1.91 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMexico: 80% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageMexico: 28.9 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMexico: 8% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateMexico: -0.8 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMexico: 0.74% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personMexico: $104 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMexico: 2.5% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelMexico: 341,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerMexico: 1.14% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMexico: 0.64% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMexico: 9 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsMexico: 1 million TIV in 2019South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025