Myanmar (Burma) vs South Africa
Myanmar (Burma) vs South Africa: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 463,000 people in Myanmar (Burma) and 89,000 people in South Africa, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Myanmar (Burma), by 374,000 people, or 5.2 times that in South Africa.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- Myanmar (Burma) has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1985.
- In 2020, Myanmar (Burma) ranked 14 and South Africa ranked 54 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Myanmar (Burma) | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 463,000 | 89,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 513,000 | 90,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 513,000 | 89,650 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 513,000 | 80,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 513,300 | 81,400 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 513,300 | 82,150 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 513,300 | 82,250 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 513,300 | 77,150 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 513,300 | 62,100 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 513,300 | 77,580 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 513,300 | 77,150 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 513,300 | 77,150 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 513,000 | 62,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 513,000 | 62,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 513,000 | 103,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 483,000 | 56,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 482,300 | 55,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 595,000 | 55,700 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 544,300 | 60,000 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 444,300 | 67,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 429,100 | 71,600 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 429,100 | 78,150 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 434,900 | 211,700 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 429,100 | 217,400 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 406,300 | 277,900 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 371,300 | 276,900 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 322,000 | 75,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 322,000 | 75,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 286,000 | 75,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 286,000 | 80,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 230,000 | 85,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 200,000 | 100,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 186,000 | 106,400 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 181,000 | 97,000 | – |
| 1983 | 179,000 | 77,000 | – |
| 1982 | 210,000 | 78,000 | – |
| 1981 | 210,000 | 78,000 | – |
| 1980 | 179,000 | 70,000 | – |
| 1979 | 212,000 | 70,000 | – |
| 1978 | 212,000 | 78,000 | – |
| 1977 | 208,000 | 67,000 | – |
| 1976 | 210,000 | 59,000 | – |
| 1975 | 209,000 | 50,000 | – |
| 1974 | 202,000 | 45,000 | – |
| 1973 | 198,000 | 40,000 | – |
| 1972 | 191,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1971 | 175,000 | 60,000 | – |
| 1970 | 174,000 | 40,000 | – |
| 1969 | 173,000 | 55,000 | – |
| 1968 | 136,000 | 55,000 | – |
| 1967 | 136,000 | 50,000 | – |
| 1966 | 135,000 | 50,000 | – |
| 1965 | 133,000 | 55,000 | – |
| 1964 | 123,000 | 50,000 | – |
| 1963 | 105,000 | 45,000 | – |
| 1962 | 100,000 | 24,000 | – |
| 1961 | 90,000 | 24,000 | – |
| 1960 | 79,000 | 22,000 | – |
| 1959 | 67,000 | 21,000 | – |
| 1958 | 56,000 | 20,000 | – |
| 1957 | 44,000 | 19,000 | – |
| 1956 | 33,000 | 17,000 | – |
| 1955 | 25,000 | 16,000 | – |
| 1954 | 19,000 | 15,000 | – |
| 1953 | 14,000 | 14,000 | – |
| 1952 | 10,000 | 13,000 | – |
| 1951 | 8,000 | 11,000 | – |
| 1950 | 6,000 | 10,000 | – |
| 1949 | 4,000 | 9,000 | – |
| 1948 | 3,000 | 10,000 | – |
| 1947 | – | 30,000 | – |
| 1946 | – | 40,000 | – |
| 1944 | – | 140,000 | – |
| 1943 | – | 140,000 | – |
| 1941 | – | 120,000 | – |
| 1939 | – | 5,000 | – |
| 1938 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1937 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1936 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1935 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1934 | – | 3,000 | – |
| 1933 | – | 2,000 | – |
| 1932 | – | 2,000 | – |
| 1931 | – | 2,000 | – |
| 1930 | – | 1,000 | – |
| 1929 | – | 2,000 | – |
| 1928 | – | 2,000 | – |
| 1927 | – | 2,000 | – |
| 1926 | – | 2,000 | – |
| 1925 | – | 2,000 | – |
| 1923 | – | 2,000 | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Correlates of War
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel, with paramilitary forces where they are trained and equipped like soldiers, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Before 1985: Correlates of War Project, National Material Capabilities v7.0; Singer, Bremer and Stuckey (1972), “Capability Distribution, Uncertainty, and Major Power War, 1820–1965”, in Bruce Russett (ed.), Peace, War, and Numbers, Sage, 19–48.
- Ranks count the 170 countries with a value in 2020, 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
Myanmar (Burma) vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyMyanmar (Burma): 66.9 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMyanmar (Burma): 3.7 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMyanmar (Burma): 31.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionMyanmar (Burma): 2.3% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateMyanmar (Burma): 5 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMyanmar (Burma): 54.1 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthMyanmar (Burma): 0.69% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMyanmar (Burma): 2.12 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMyanmar (Burma): 30.6% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageMyanmar (Burma): 29.5 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMyanmar (Burma): 7.1% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateMyanmar (Burma): -0.6 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personMyanmar (Burma): $1,128 in 2025South Africa: $5,713 in 2025
- GDP growthMyanmar (Burma): -12% a year in 2021South Africa: 1.1% a year in 2025
- InflationMyanmar (Burma): 27.6% a year in 2023South Africa: 3.2% a year in 2025
- Government debtMyanmar (Burma): 37.6% of GDP in 2019South Africa: 76% of GDP in 2024
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMyanmar (Burma): 6.61% of GDP in 2024South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsMyanmar (Burma): $4.65B in 2024South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personMyanmar (Burma): $92 in 2024South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMyanmar (Burma): 32% of government spending in 2024South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- National powerMyanmar (Burma): 0.53% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMyanmar (Burma): 1.94% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMyanmar (Burma): 70 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025