Saudi Arabia vs South Africa
Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $2,428 in Saudi Arabia and $49 in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by $2,379, or 49 times that in South Africa.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1988.
- In 2025, Saudi Arabia ranked 6 and South Africa ranked 100 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Saudi Arabia | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,428 | $49 |
| 2024 | $2,386 | $48 |
| 2023 | $2,366 | $49 |
| 2022 | $2,253 | $56 |
| 2021 | $2,027 | $58 |
| 2020 | $2,095 | $54 |
| 2019 | $2,169 | $58 |
| 2018 | $2,439 | $62 |
| 2017 | $2,273 | $63 |
| 2016 | $2,090 | $55 |
| 2015 | $2,957 | $62 |
| 2014 | $2,833 | $71 |
| 2013 | $2,433 | $76 |
| 2012 | $2,125 | $84 |
| 2011 | $1,894 | $87 |
| 2010 | $1,833 | $81 |
| 2009 | $1,738 | $70 |
| 2008 | $1,675 | $65 |
| 2007 | $1,619 | $70 |
| 2006 | $1,408 | $70 |
| 2005 | $1,262 | $72 |
| 2004 | $1,088 | $64 |
| 2003 | $1,022 | $53 |
| 2002 | $1,059 | $37 |
| 2001 | $1,266 | $38 |
| 2000 | $1,268 | $40 |
| 1999 | $1,206 | $37 |
| 1998 | $1,424 | $41 |
| 1997 | $1,285 | $53 |
| 1996 | $984 | $58 |
| 1995 | $1,014 | $74 |
| 1994 | $1,144 | $79 |
| 1993 | $1,377 | $76 |
| 1992 | $1,345 | $87 |
| 1991 | $1,501 | $94 |
| 1990 | $1,575 | $109 |
| 1989 | $1,291 | $107 |
| 1988 | $1,423 | $113 |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- 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 in US dollarsSaudi Arabia: $81.5B in 2025South Africa: $3B 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