Russia vs South Africa
Russia vs South Africa: Arms imports
Arms imports in 2025: 129 million TIV in Russia and 30 million TIV in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Russia, by 99 million TIV, or 4.3 times that in South Africa.
SIPRI trend-indicator values · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Russia has been higher since 2013, when it overtook South Africa.
- The world as a whole: 33.3 billion TIV in 2025.
Every year
SIPRI trend-indicator values · SIPRI
| Year | Russia | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 129 million | 30 million | 33.3 billion |
| 2024 | 315 million | – | 30.6 billion |
| 2023 | 95 million | 30 million | 29.5 billion |
| 2022 | 39 million | 30 million | 33 billion |
| 2021 | 6 million | – | 26.8 billion |
| 2020 | 1 million | – | 23.4 billion |
| 2019 | 5 million | – | 26.9 billion |
| 2018 | 62 million | – | 27.3 billion |
| 2017 | 94 million | – | 31.2 billion |
| 2016 | 127 million | – | 31.4 billion |
| 2015 | 113 million | 2 million | 28.7 billion |
| 2014 | 207 million | 50 million | 27 billion |
| 2013 | 185 million | 1 million | 27.4 billion |
| 2012 | 121 million | 127 million | 27.9 billion |
| 2011 | 10 million | 208 million | 29.9 billion |
| 2010 | 25 million | 178 million | 25.8 billion |
| 2009 | 8 million | 134 million | 24 billion |
| 2008 | – | 493 million | 24.1 billion |
| 2007 | 90 million | 910 million | 26.5 billion |
| 2006 | – | 741 million | 24.4 billion |
| 2005 | – | 262 million | 21.3 billion |
| 2004 | – | – | 21.3 billion |
| 2003 | – | – | 19.2 billion |
| 2002 | – | – | 17.7 billion |
| 2001 | 2 million | 18 million | 18.3 billion |
| 2000 | 1.15 billion | 6 million | 20.5 billion |
| 1999 | 368 million | 21 million | 25.3 billion |
| 1998 | – | – | 27.9 billion |
| 1997 | – | 11 million | 28.9 billion |
| 1996 | – | 38 million | 23.7 billion |
| 1995 | – | 38 million | 22.9 billion |
| 1994 | – | 239 million | 22.8 billion |
| 1993 | – | 238 million | 25.8 billion |
| 1992 | 40 million | 361 million | 24.3 billion |
| 1991 | – | 26 million | 27.8 billion |
| 1990 | – | 10 million | 28.6 billion |
| 1989 | – | 11 million | 31.7 billion |
| 1988 | – | 17 million | 32.9 billion |
| 1987 | – | 20 million | 36.2 billion |
| 1986 | – | 191 million | 35.5 billion |
| 1985 | – | 25 million | 33.2 billion |
| 1984 | – | 100 million | 36.8 billion |
| 1983 | – | 192 million | 39.1 billion |
| 1982 | – | 44 million | 41.4 billion |
| 1981 | – | 122 million | 42 billion |
| 1980 | – | 192 million | 37.4 billion |
| 1979 | – | 125 million | 33.3 billion |
| 1978 | – | 389 million | 39.2 billion |
| 1977 | – | 500 million | 37 billion |
| 1976 | – | 419 million | 33 billion |
| 1975 | – | 235 million | 34.2 billion |
| 1974 | – | 177 million | 32.9 billion |
| 1973 | – | 369 million | 32.6 billion |
| 1972 | – | 291 million | 28.7 billion |
| 1971 | – | 309 million | 29.3 billion |
| 1970 | – | 511 million | 22.1 billion |
| 1969 | – | 211 million | 24.7 billion |
| 1968 | – | 217 million | 22.4 billion |
| 1967 | – | 299 million | 22.1 billion |
| 1966 | – | 496 million | 22.4 billion |
| 1965 | – | 386 million | 23.1 billion |
| 1964 | – | 302 million | 24.2 billion |
| 1963 | – | 520 million | 18.1 billion |
| 1962 | – | 232 million | 15.5 billion |
| 1961 | – | – | 15 billion |
| 1960 | – | 13 million | 15.7 billion |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Major weapons the country received, in SIPRI trend-indicator values (TIV): what the arms are worth as military capability, priced by their production cost, not what was paid.
- Source: SIPRI Arms Transfers Database, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 110 countries with a value in 2025, 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
Russia vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyRussia: 73.2 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityRussia: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityRussia: 3.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionRussia: 3.71% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateRussia: 25.1 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationRussia: 145 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthRussia: -0.32% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateRussia: 1.45 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationRussia: 75.3% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageRussia: 39.5 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overRussia: 16.6% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateRussia: 0.2 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingRussia: 7.5% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsRussia: $158B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personRussia: $1,318 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingRussia: 19.8% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelRussia: 1.45 million people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerRussia: 3.82% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersRussia: 1.98% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms exportsRussia: 1.94 billion TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025