Saudi Arabia vs South Africa

Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Arms exports

Arms exports: 3 million TIV in Saudi Arabia in 2023 and 115 million TIV in South Africa in 2025, by SIPRI estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in South Africa, by 102 million TIV, or 35 times that in Saudi Arabia.

Watch it change on the map

SIPRI trend-indicator values · SIPRI

Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Arms exportsArms exports: 3 million TIV in Saudi Arabia in 2023 and 115 million TIV in South Africa in 2025, by SIPRI estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in South Africa, by 102 million TIV, or 35 times that in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi ArabiaSouth AfricaWorld

What the numbers say

  • South Africa has been higher since 1981, when it overtook Saudi Arabia.
  • The world as a whole: 29.5 billion TIV in 2023.

Every year

SIPRI trend-indicator values · SIPRI

YearSaudi ArabiaSouth AfricaWorld
2025–115 million33.5 billion
2024–96 million30.7 billion
20233 million105 million29.5 billion
2022–113 million33.3 billion
2021–143 million27.1 billion
2020–150 million24.1 billion
2019–129 million27 billion
2018–118 million27.4 billion
2017–100 million31.3 billion
20165 million118 million31.5 billion
20153 million76 million28.7 billion
2014–89 million27.1 billion
2013–109 million27.4 billion
2012–193 million27.9 billion
201158 million76 million29.9 billion
20101 million250 million25.8 billion
2009–108 million24.4 billion
2008–142 million24.1 billion
2007–137 million26.5 billion
200618 million200 million24.5 billion
2005–36 million21.4 billion
2004–74 million21.3 billion
2003–47 million19.2 billion
2002–22 million17.7 billion
2001–32 million18.5 billion
2000–21 million20.5 billion
1999–24 million25.4 billion
1998–14 million27.9 billion
1997–7 million28.9 billion
19961 million31 million23.7 billion
1995–17 million22.9 billion
1994–13 million23 billion
199312 million54 million25.8 billion
1992–85 million24.3 billion
1991–54 million28.2 billion
1990––30.2 billion
1989–034.9 billion
1988–25 million36.8 billion
1987–28 million39.4 billion
1986–25 million39 billion
19854 million25 million38.2 billion
19846 million–41.6 billion
1983––43.9 billion
1982–1 million46.2 billion
198133 million49 million45.8 billion
1980–49 million42.2 billion
19795 million–38.4 billion
1978––42.4 billion
197713 million040 billion
1976020 million36 billion
1975–29 million37.2 billion
1974–2 million36.6 billion
1973–1 million36.3 billion
19722 million22 million34.5 billion
1971–7 million32.9 billion
1970–2 million25.3 billion
1969–13 million28.1 billion
19683 million9 million26.1 billion
19674 million8 million25.6 billion
1966––25.8 billion
1965––25.8 billion
1964––26.7 billion
1963––20.3 billion
1962––17.5 billion
1961–33 million16.4 billion
1960–27 million17.6 billion

Each country on its own

Good to know

  • Major weapons the country sent abroad, 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.
  • 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

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