Russia vs South Africa
Russia vs South Africa: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 19.8% of government spending in Russia and 2.2% of government spending in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Russia, by 17.6 percentage points, or 9.05 times that in South Africa.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Russia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2000.
- In 2025, Russia ranked 7 and South Africa ranked 135 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | Russia | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19.8 | 2.2 |
| 2024 | 18.6 | 2.3 |
| 2023 | 14.8 | 2.5 |
| 2022 | 13 | 2.7 |
| 2021 | 10.3 | 2.6 |
| 2020 | 10.6 | 2.8 |
| 2019 | 11.4 | 2.8 |
| 2018 | 11.4 | 3 |
| 2017 | 12.2 | 3.2 |
| 2016 | 14.8 | 3.2 |
| 2015 | 13.8 | 3.3 |
| 2014 | 11.8 | 3.5 |
| 2013 | 11.1 | 3.6 |
| 2012 | 10.8 | 3.6 |
| 2011 | 10.3 | 3.6 |
| 2010 | 10.1 | 3.5 |
| 2009 | 10.2 | 3.8 |
| 2008 | 9.9 | 4 |
| 2007 | 9.8 | 4.3 |
| 2006 | 11.2 | 4.7 |
| 2005 | 11.3 | 4.9 |
| 2004 | 11.2 | 5.3 |
| 2003 | 11.3 | 5.8 |
| 2002 | 11.1 | 6.2 |
| 2001 | 11.3 | 5.9 |
| 2000 | 10.8 | 5.5 |
| 1999 | 9 | – |
| 1998 | 6.9 | – |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The part of everything the government spends that goes on its armed forces and defence, 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 150 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
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
- 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 importsRussia: 129 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsRussia: 1.94 billion TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025