Saudi Arabia vs South Africa
Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 282,000 people in Saudi Arabia and 89,000 people in South Africa, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 193,000 people, or 3.17 times that in South Africa.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher since 1999, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2020, Saudi Arabia ranked 25 and South Africa ranked 54 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Saudi Arabia | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 282,000 | 89,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 252,000 | 90,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 252,000 | 89,650 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 252,000 | 80,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 251,500 | 81,400 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 251,500 | 82,150 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 251,500 | 82,250 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 251,500 | 77,150 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 249,000 | 62,100 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 249,000 | 77,580 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 249,000 | 77,150 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 249,000 | 77,150 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 238,000 | 62,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 238,000 | 62,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 240,000 | 103,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 216,000 | 56,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 214,000 | 55,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 215,000 | 55,700 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 215,000 | 60,000 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 217,200 | 67,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 217,000 | 71,600 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 178,000 | 78,150 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 178,000 | 211,700 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 178,000 | 217,400 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 178,500 | 277,900 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 177,500 | 276,900 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 164,000 | 75,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 172,000 | 75,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 172,000 | 75,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 191,000 | 80,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 146,000 | 85,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 82,000 | 100,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 62,500 | 106,400 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 80,000 | 97,000 | – |
| 1983 | 80,000 | 77,000 | – |
| 1982 | 80,000 | 78,000 | – |
| 1981 | 79,000 | 78,000 | – |
| 1980 | 79,000 | 70,000 | – |
| 1979 | 79,000 | 70,000 | – |
| 1978 | 75,000 | 78,000 | – |
| 1977 | 75,000 | 67,000 | – |
| 1976 | 75,000 | 59,000 | – |
| 1975 | 75,000 | 50,000 | – |
| 1974 | 75,000 | 45,000 | – |
| 1973 | 75,000 | 40,000 | – |
| 1972 | 75,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1971 | 75,000 | 60,000 | – |
| 1970 | 65,000 | 40,000 | – |
| 1969 | 60,000 | 55,000 | – |
| 1968 | 60,000 | 55,000 | – |
| 1967 | 50,000 | 50,000 | – |
| 1966 | 45,000 | 50,000 | – |
| 1965 | 40,000 | 55,000 | – |
| 1964 | 40,000 | 50,000 | – |
| 1963 | 35,000 | 45,000 | – |
| 1962 | 37,000 | 24,000 | – |
| 1961 | 35,000 | 24,000 | – |
| 1960 | 30,000 | 22,000 | – |
| 1959 | 30,000 | 21,000 | – |
| 1958 | 30,000 | 20,000 | – |
| 1957 | 31,000 | 19,000 | – |
| 1956 | 32,000 | 17,000 | – |
| 1955 | 33,000 | 16,000 | – |
| 1954 | 34,000 | 15,000 | – |
| 1953 | 9,000 | 14,000 | – |
| 1952 | 8,000 | 13,000 | – |
| 1951 | 7,000 | 11,000 | – |
| 1950 | 6,000 | 10,000 | – |
| 1949 | 5,000 | 9,000 | – |
| 1948 | 4,000 | 10,000 | – |
| 1947 | 4,000 | 30,000 | – |
| 1946 | 4,000 | 40,000 | – |
| 1945 | 4,000 | – | – |
| 1944 | 4,000 | 140,000 | – |
| 1943 | 4,000 | 140,000 | – |
| 1942 | 4,000 | – | – |
| 1941 | 4,000 | 120,000 | – |
| 1940 | 4,000 | – | – |
| 1939 | 4,000 | 5,000 | – |
| 1938 | 4,000 | 4,000 | – |
| 1937 | 4,000 | 4,000 | – |
| 1936 | 4,000 | 4,000 | – |
| 1935 | 4,000 | 4,000 | – |
| 1934 | 4,000 | 3,000 | – |
| 1933 | 4,000 | 2,000 | – |
| 1932 | 4,000 | 2,000 | – |
| 1931 | 4,000 | 2,000 | – |
| 1930 | 4,000 | 1,000 | – |
| 1929 | 4,000 | 2,000 | – |
| 1928 | 4,000 | 2,000 | – |
| 1927 | 4,000 | 2,000 | – |
| 1926 | – | 2,000 | – |
| 1925 | – | 2,000 | – |
| 1923 | – | 2,000 | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Correlates of War
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel, with paramilitary forces where they are trained and equipped like soldiers, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Before 1985: Correlates of War Project, National Material Capabilities v7.0; Singer, Bremer and Stuckey (1972), “Capability Distribution, Uncertainty, and Major Power War, 1820–1965”, in Bruce Russett (ed.), Peace, War, and Numbers, Sage, 19–48.
- Ranks count the 170 countries with a value in 2020, 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
Saudi Arabia vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancySaudi Arabia: 78.7 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySaudi Arabia: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySaudi Arabia: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSaudi Arabia: 3.54% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateSaudi Arabia: 2.9 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSaudi Arabia: 33.3 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthSaudi Arabia: 2.39% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSaudi Arabia: 2.28 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSaudi Arabia: 84.6% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageSaudi Arabia: 29.3 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSaudi Arabia: 2.8% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateSaudi Arabia: 9.8 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSaudi Arabia: $25,070 in 2025South Africa: $5,713 in 2025
- GDP growthSaudi Arabia: 4.6% a year in 2025South Africa: 1.1% a year in 2025
- InflationSaudi Arabia: 2% a year in 2025South Africa: 3.2% a year in 2025
- Government debtSaudi Arabia: 31.8% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 76% of GDP in 2024
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSaudi Arabia: 6.48% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSaudi Arabia: $81.5B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personSaudi Arabia: $2,428 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSaudi Arabia: 23.5% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- National powerSaudi Arabia: 1.34% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSaudi Arabia: 1.92% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSaudi Arabia: 3.04 billion TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSaudi Arabia: 3 million TIV in 2023South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025