Namibia vs South Africa
Namibia vs South Africa: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $134 in Namibia and $49 in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Namibia, by $85, or 2.72 times that in South Africa.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Namibia has been higher since 1998, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, Namibia ranked 72 and South Africa ranked 100 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Namibia | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $134 | $49 |
| 2024 | $123 | $48 |
| 2023 | $116 | $49 |
| 2022 | $128 | $56 |
| 2021 | $145 | $58 |
| 2020 | $137 | $54 |
| 2019 | $158 | $58 |
| 2018 | $179 | $62 |
| 2017 | $184 | $63 |
| 2016 | $177 | $55 |
| 2015 | $219 | $62 |
| 2014 | $236 | $71 |
| 2013 | $174 | $76 |
| 2012 | $191 | $84 |
| 2011 | $208 | $87 |
| 2010 | $189 | $81 |
| 2009 | $144 | $70 |
| 2008 | $131 | $65 |
| 2007 | $114 | $70 |
| 2006 | $101 | $70 |
| 2005 | $98 | $72 |
| 2004 | $87 | $64 |
| 2003 | $68 | $53 |
| 2002 | $47 | $37 |
| 2001 | $53 | $38 |
| 2000 | $51 | $40 |
| 1999 | $60 | $37 |
| 1998 | $46 | $41 |
| 1997 | $50 | $53 |
| 1996 | $41 | $58 |
| 1995 | $43 | $74 |
| 1994 | $37 | $79 |
| 1993 | $47 | $76 |
| 1992 | $87 | $87 |
| 1991 | $104 | $94 |
| 1990 | $117 | $109 |
| 1989 | – | $107 |
| 1988 | – | $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
Namibia vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyNamibia: 67.4 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityNamibia: 4 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityNamibia: 27.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionNamibia: 3.46% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateNamibia: 11.8 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationNamibia: 2.96 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthNamibia: 2.37% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateNamibia: 3.21 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationNamibia: 50.9% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageNamibia: 21 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overNamibia: 3.6% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateNamibia: 3.9 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingNamibia: 2.77% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsNamibia: $386M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military share of state spendingNamibia: 7% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelNamibia: 16,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerNamibia: 0.02% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersNamibia: 1.67% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsNamibia: 0 TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025