Singapore vs South Africa
Singapore vs South Africa: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $16.9B in Singapore and $3B in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Singapore, by $13.9B, or 5.64 times that in South Africa.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Singapore has been higher since 1991, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, Singapore ranked 23 and South Africa ranked 53 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Singapore | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $16.9B | $3B |
| 2024 | $15.3B | $3.03B |
| 2023 | $14.4B | $3.21B |
| 2022 | $13.3B | $3.42B |
| 2021 | $12.6B | $3.39B |
| 2020 | $11.8B | $3.6B |
| 2019 | $12.4B | $3.47B |
| 2018 | $12.5B | $3.49B |
| 2017 | $12.4B | $3.64B |
| 2016 | $12.1B | $3.69B |
| 2015 | $11.4B | $3.79B |
| 2014 | $10.6B | $3.76B |
| 2013 | $10.3B | $3.76B |
| 2012 | $10.4B | $3.68B |
| 2011 | $10.6B | $3.53B |
| 2010 | $11B | $3.4B |
| 2009 | $11.2B | $3.52B |
| 2008 | $10.9B | $3.36B |
| 2007 | $10.8B | $3.38B |
| 2006 | $10.4B | $3.43B |
| 2005 | $10.3B | $3.39B |
| 2004 | $9.7B | $3.05B |
| 2003 | $9.52B | $2.95B |
| 2002 | $9.43B | $2.98B |
| 2001 | $8.94B | $2.72B |
| 2000 | $8.73B | $2.43B |
| 1999 | $9.03B | $2.07B |
| 1998 | $8.86B | $2.16B |
| 1997 | $7.83B | $2.44B |
| 1996 | $6.98B | $2.65B |
| 1995 | $6.37B | $3.05B |
| 1994 | $5.32B | $3.43B |
| 1993 | $5.14B | $3.22B |
| 1992 | $4.99B | $3.48B |
| 1991 | $4.69B | $4.04B |
| 1990 | $4.53B | $4.92B |
| 1989 | $3.95B | $5.46B |
| 1988 | $3.57B | $5.54B |
| 1987 | $3.31B | $4.72B |
| 1986 | $3.33B | $4.27B |
| 1985 | $3.42B | $4.19B |
| 1984 | $2.91B | $4.22B |
| 1983 | $2.36B | $3.92B |
| 1982 | $2.44B | $3.86B |
| 1981 | $2.31B | $3.92B |
| 1980 | $2.08B | $3.54B |
| 1979 | $1.85B | $3.54B |
| 1978 | $1.87B | $3.96B |
| 1977 | $1.91B | $4.41B |
| 1976 | $1.6B | $3.97B |
| 1975 | $1.33B | $3.2B |
| 1974 | $1.17B | $2.55B |
| 1973 | $1.28B | $1.98B |
| 1972 | $1.32B | $1.57B |
| 1971 | $1.25B | $1.54B |
| 1970 | $1.03B | $1.4B |
| 1969 | – | $1.48B |
| 1968 | – | $1.44B |
| 1967 | – | $1.37B |
| 1966 | – | $1.23B |
| 1965 | – | $1.14B |
| 1964 | – | $1.11B |
| 1963 | – | $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
Singapore vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancySingapore: 83.7 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySingapore: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySingapore: 1.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSingapore: 3.44% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateSingapore: 7.3 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSingapore: 5.79 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthSingapore: 0.81% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSingapore: 0.94 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSingapore: 100% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageSingapore: 35.1 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSingapore: 13.1% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateSingapore: 4.7 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSingapore: 3.05% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personSingapore: $2,980 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSingapore: 18% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSingapore: 59,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerSingapore: 0.25% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSingapore: 1.72% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSingapore: 57 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSingapore: 79 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025