Saudi Arabia vs South Africa
Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $81.5B in Saudi Arabia and $3B in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by $78.5B, or 27 times that in South Africa.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher since 1965, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, Saudi Arabia ranked 7 and South Africa ranked 53 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Saudi Arabia | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $81.5B | $3B |
| 2024 | $80.3B | $3.03B |
| 2023 | $79.1B | $3.21B |
| 2022 | $73.8B | $3.42B |
| 2021 | $67.4B | $3.39B |
| 2020 | $71B | $3.6B |
| 2019 | $74.3B | $3.47B |
| 2018 | $83.8B | $3.49B |
| 2017 | $81B | $3.64B |
| 2016 | $72.6B | $3.69B |
| 2015 | $102B | $3.79B |
| 2014 | $95.2B | $3.76B |
| 2013 | $80.7B | $3.76B |
| 2012 | $70.5B | $3.68B |
| 2011 | $62.3B | $3.53B |
| 2010 | $61.4B | $3.4B |
| 2009 | $59B | $3.52B |
| 2008 | $57.4B | $3.36B |
| 2007 | $58.5B | $3.38B |
| 2006 | $50.8B | $3.43B |
| 2005 | $44.6B | $3.39B |
| 2004 | $36.9B | $3.05B |
| 2003 | $33.3B | $2.95B |
| 2002 | $33B | $2.98B |
| 2001 | $37.6B | $2.72B |
| 2000 | $35.3B | $2.43B |
| 1999 | $32.1B | $2.07B |
| 1998 | $36B | $2.16B |
| 1997 | $31.2B | $2.44B |
| 1996 | $23B | $2.65B |
| 1995 | $23B | $3.05B |
| 1994 | $26.1B | $3.43B |
| 1993 | $30.2B | $3.22B |
| 1992 | $28.5B | $3.48B |
| 1991 | $30.4B | $4.04B |
| 1990 | $31.8B | $4.92B |
| 1989 | $25.3B | $5.46B |
| 1988 | $26.8B | $5.54B |
| 1987 | $29.3B | $4.72B |
| 1986 | – | $4.27B |
| 1985 | $32.9B | $4.19B |
| 1984 | $39.9B | $4.22B |
| 1983 | $37.1B | $3.92B |
| 1982 | $45.7B | $3.86B |
| 1981 | $41B | $3.92B |
| 1980 | $35.2B | $3.54B |
| 1979 | $31.5B | $3.54B |
| 1978 | $24.5B | $3.96B |
| 1977 | $21.6B | $4.41B |
| 1976 | – | $3.97B |
| 1975 | – | $3.2B |
| 1974 | – | $2.55B |
| 1973 | $7.36B | $1.98B |
| 1972 | $5.7B | $1.57B |
| 1971 | $4.06B | $1.54B |
| 1970 | $3.42B | $1.4B |
| 1969 | $3.12B | $1.48B |
| 1968 | $2.55B | $1.44B |
| 1967 | $2.57B | $1.37B |
| 1966 | $2.34B | $1.23B |
| 1965 | $1.41B | $1.14B |
| 1964 | $982M | $1.11B |
| 1963 | $929M | $791M |
| 1962 | – | $790M |
| 1961 | – | $489M |
| 1960 | – | $307M |
| 1959 | – | $269M |
| 1958 | – | $286M |
| 1957 | – | $381M |
| 1956 | – | $264M |
| 1955 | – | $235M |
| 1954 | – | $227M |
| 1953 | – | $242M |
| 1952 | – | $284M |
| 1951 | – | $268M |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, 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 151 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 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
- 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