Pakistan vs South Africa
Pakistan vs South Africa: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $11.5B in Pakistan and $3B in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Pakistan, by $8.48B, or 3.83 times that in South Africa.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Pakistan has been higher since 1991, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, Pakistan ranked 31 and South Africa ranked 53 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Pakistan | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $11.5B | $3B |
| 2024 | $10.3B | $3.03B |
| 2023 | $9.78B | $3.21B |
| 2022 | $11.2B | $3.42B |
| 2021 | $12B | $3.39B |
| 2020 | $11.5B | $3.6B |
| 2019 | $11.7B | $3.47B |
| 2018 | $11.8B | $3.49B |
| 2017 | $10.6B | $3.64B |
| 2016 | $9.66B | $3.69B |
| 2015 | $9.34B | $3.79B |
| 2014 | $8.6B | $3.76B |
| 2013 | $8.17B | $3.76B |
| 2012 | $7.9B | $3.68B |
| 2011 | $7.45B | $3.53B |
| 2010 | $7.07B | $3.4B |
| 2009 | $6.76B | $3.52B |
| 2008 | $6.56B | $3.36B |
| 2007 | $6.96B | $3.38B |
| 2006 | $6.91B | $3.43B |
| 2005 | $6.8B | $3.39B |
| 2004 | $6.53B | $3.05B |
| 2003 | $6.27B | $2.95B |
| 2002 | $5.87B | $2.98B |
| 2001 | $5.46B | $2.72B |
| 2000 | $5.1B | $2.43B |
| 1999 | $5.09B | $2.07B |
| 1998 | $5.04B | $2.16B |
| 1997 | $5.04B | $2.44B |
| 1996 | $5.27B | $2.65B |
| 1995 | $5.27B | $3.05B |
| 1994 | $5.18B | $3.43B |
| 1993 | $5.33B | $3.22B |
| 1992 | $5.36B | $3.48B |
| 1991 | $5.04B | $4.04B |
| 1990 | $4.71B | $4.92B |
| 1989 | $4.46B | $5.46B |
| 1988 | $4.45B | $5.54B |
| 1987 | $4.3B | $4.72B |
| 1986 | $3.93B | $4.27B |
| 1985 | $3.65B | $4.19B |
| 1984 | $3.36B | $4.22B |
| 1983 | $3.12B | $3.92B |
| 1982 | $2.8B | $3.86B |
| 1981 | $2.32B | $3.92B |
| 1980 | $2.14B | $3.54B |
| 1979 | $1.98B | $3.54B |
| 1978 | $1.87B | $3.96B |
| 1977 | $1.76B | $4.41B |
| 1976 | $1.77B | $3.97B |
| 1975 | $1.75B | $3.2B |
| 1974 | $1.67B | $2.55B |
| 1973 | $1.68B | $1.98B |
| 1972 | $1.8B | $1.57B |
| 1971 | $1.6B | $1.54B |
| 1970 | $1.44B | $1.4B |
| 1969 | $1.32B | $1.48B |
| 1968 | $1.21B | $1.44B |
| 1967 | $1.18B | $1.37B |
| 1966 | $1.45B | $1.23B |
| 1965 | $1.24B | $1.14B |
| 1964 | $770M | $1.11B |
| 1963 | $683M | $791M |
| 1962 | $632M | $790M |
| 1961 | $660M | $489M |
| 1960 | $666M | $307M |
| 1959 | $640M | $269M |
| 1958 | $543M | $286M |
| 1957 | $523M | $381M |
| 1956 | $630M | $264M |
| 1955 | – | $235M |
| 1954 | – | $227M |
| 1953 | – | $242M |
| 1952 | – | $284M |
| 1951 | – | $268M |
- 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
Pakistan vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyPakistan: 67.7 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityPakistan: 5.6 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityPakistan: 49.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionPakistan: 3.33% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide ratePakistan: 4.4 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationPakistan: 248 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthPakistan: 1.48% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility ratePakistan: 3.61 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationPakistan: 39.5% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median agePakistan: 20.3 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overPakistan: 4.2% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration ratePakistan: -6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingPakistan: 2.91% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personPakistan: $47 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingPakistan: 13.8% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelPakistan: 943,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerPakistan: 1.77% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersPakistan: 1.25% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsPakistan: 706 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsPakistan: 127 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025