Saudi Arabia vs South Africa
Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 23.5% of government spending in Saudi Arabia and 2.2% of government spending in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 21.3 percentage points, or 11 times that in South Africa.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2000.
- In 2025, Saudi Arabia ranked 3 and South Africa ranked 135 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | Saudi Arabia | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23.5 | 2.2 |
| 2024 | 21.9 | 2.3 |
| 2023 | 22.6 | 2.5 |
| 2022 | 22.7 | 2.7 |
| 2021 | 22.8 | 2.6 |
| 2020 | 22.5 | 2.8 |
| 2019 | 23.2 | 2.8 |
| 2018 | 25.9 | 3 |
| 2017 | 30.7 | 3.2 |
| 2016 | 27.8 | 3.2 |
| 2015 | 32.7 | 3.3 |
| 2014 | 26.6 | 3.5 |
| 2013 | 25.3 | 3.6 |
| 2012 | 23.1 | 3.6 |
| 2011 | 22 | 3.6 |
| 2010 | 26 | 3.5 |
| 2009 | 26 | 3.8 |
| 2008 | 27.6 | 4 |
| 2007 | 29 | 4.3 |
| 2006 | 28.8 | 4.7 |
| 2005 | 27.5 | 4.9 |
| 2004 | 26 | 5.3 |
| 2003 | 26.2 | 5.8 |
| 2002 | 27.2 | 6.2 |
| 2001 | 30.9 | 5.9 |
| 2000 | 31.8 | 5.5 |
| 1999 | 37.4 | – |
| 1998 | 41.2 | – |
| 1997 | 30.7 | – |
| 1996 | 25.3 | – |
| 1995 | 28.5 | – |
| 1994 | 31.3 | – |
| 1993 | 32.8 | – |
| 1992 | 27.3 | – |
| 1991 | 35.4 | – |
| 1990 | 35.4 | – |
- 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
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
- Armed forces personnelSaudi Arabia: 282,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- 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