Saudi Arabia vs South Africa

Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Arms imports

Arms imports in 2025: 3.04 billion TIV in Saudi Arabia and 30 million TIV in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 3.01 billion TIV, or 100 times that in South Africa.

Watch it change on the map

SIPRI trend-indicator values · SIPRI

Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Arms importsArms imports in 2025: 3.04 billion TIV in Saudi Arabia and 30 million TIV in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 3.01 billion TIV, or 100 times that in South Africa.
Saudi ArabiaSouth AfricaWorld

What the numbers say

  • Saudi Arabia has been higher since 2009, when it overtook South Africa.
  • The world as a whole: 33.3 billion TIV in 2025.

Every year

SIPRI trend-indicator values · SIPRI

YearSaudi ArabiaSouth AfricaWorld
20253.04 billion30 million33.3 billion
20241.24 billion–30.6 billion
20231.33 billion30 million29.5 billion
20223.05 billion30 million33 billion
20211.75 billion–26.8 billion
20202.24 billion–23.4 billion
20193.03 billion–26.9 billion
20182.94 billion–27.3 billion
20173.85 billion–31.2 billion
20162.91 billion–31.4 billion
20153.47 billion2 million28.7 billion
20142.72 billion50 million27 billion
20131.69 billion1 million27.4 billion
2012835 million127 million27.9 billion
20111.18 billion208 million29.9 billion
20101.11 billion178 million25.8 billion
2009828 million134 million24 billion
2008389 million493 million24.1 billion
2007229 million910 million26.5 billion
2006207 million741 million24.4 billion
2005166 million262 million21.3 billion
20041.16 billion–21.3 billion
2003158 million–19.2 billion
2002559 million–17.7 billion
200159 million18 million18.3 billion
2000104 million6 million20.5 billion
19991.58 billion21 million25.3 billion
19982.89 billion–27.9 billion
19972.79 billion11 million28.9 billion
19961.73 billion38 million23.7 billion
1995985 million38 million22.9 billion
1994981 million239 million22.8 billion
19932.35 billion238 million25.8 billion
19921.15 billion361 million24.3 billion
19911.04 billion26 million27.8 billion
19902.04 billion10 million28.6 billion
19891.38 billion11 million31.7 billion
1988784 million17 million32.9 billion
19872.01 billion20 million36.2 billion
19862.84 billion191 million35.5 billion
19851.31 billion25 million33.2 billion
1984824 million100 million36.8 billion
19831.82 billion192 million39.1 billion
19822.22 billion44 million41.4 billion
19811.82 billion122 million42 billion
19801.09 billion192 million37.4 billion
1979767 million125 million33.3 billion
19781.01 billion389 million39.2 billion
19771.02 billion500 million37 billion
1976702 million419 million33 billion
1975372 million235 million34.2 billion
1974547 million177 million32.9 billion
1973202 million369 million32.6 billion
1972130 million291 million28.7 billion
197110 million309 million29.3 billion
197087 million511 million22.1 billion
1969416 million211 million24.7 billion
1968448 million217 million22.4 billion
1967222 million299 million22.1 billion
1966227 million496 million22.4 billion
196548 million386 million23.1 billion
19645 million302 million24.2 billion
1963–520 million18.1 billion
196222 million232 million15.5 billion
19618 million–15 billion
19606 million13 million15.7 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

Saudi Arabia vs South Africa

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