Philippines vs South Africa

Philippines vs South Africa: Military spending

Military spending in 2025: 1.3% of GDP in Philippines and 0.74% of GDP in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Philippines, by 0.56 percentage points, or 1.76 times that in South Africa.

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% of GDP · SIPRI

Philippines vs South Africa: Military spendingMilitary spending in 2025: 1.3% of GDP in Philippines and 0.74% of GDP in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Philippines, by 0.56 percentage points, or 1.76 times that in South Africa.
PhilippinesSouth AfricaSIPRI estimate

What the numbers say

  • Philippines has been higher since 2003, when it overtook South Africa.
  • In 2025, Philippines ranked 96 and South Africa ranked 128 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.

Every year

% of GDP · SIPRI

YearPhilippinesSouth Africa
20251.30.74
20241.190.76
20231.180.8
20221.320.85
20211.410.84
20201.30.96
20191.130.88
20181.180.89
20171.170.94
20161.050.97
20151.091.01
20141.041.02
20131.191.03
20121.111.03
20111.151
20101.171
20091.21.09
20081.251.04
20071.291.06
20061.261.15
20051.281.24
20041.361.36
20031.551.47
20021.471.53
20011.471.48
20001.611.39
19991.621.27
19981.71.38
19971.911.58
19962.271.76
19952.292.12
19942.172.56
19932.162.5
19922.042.82
19912.013.22
19902.153.9
19892.244.36
19882.464.62
19871.974.19
19861.993.82
19851.983.7
19841.643.7
19832.413.61
19822.63.61
19812.763.64
19802.713.31
19792.973.86
19782.584.56
19773.625.26
19763.934.73
1975–3.88
19743.563.09
19732.812.65
19722.342.37
19712.072.46
19702.162.33
19692.092.61
19681.872.76
19671.742.79
19661.652.71
19651.552.63
19641.712.7
19631.862.07
19621.812.26
19611.71.47
19601.780.95
19591.840.88
19581.960.98
1957–1.3
1956–1.29
1955–1.22
1954–1.2
1953–1.35
1952–1.74
1951–1.62
  • Estimate

Each country on its own

Good to know

  • What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, as a share of its economy, 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

Philippines vs South Africa

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