Somalia vs South Sudan
Somalia vs South Sudan: Military spending
Military spending in 2025: 1.54% of GDP in Somalia and 3.43% of GDP in South Sudan, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Sudan, by 1.88 percentage points, or 2.22 times that in Somalia.
% of GDP · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Sudan has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2013.
- In 2025, Somalia ranked 83 and South Sudan ranked 15 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of GDP · SIPRI
| Year | Somalia | South Sudan |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.54 | 3.43 |
| 2024 | 1.66 | 6.55 |
| 2023 | 1.27 | 2.38 |
| 2022 | 1.16 | 1.58 |
| 2021 | 1.17 | 1.51 |
| 2020 | 1.14 | 1.87 |
| 2019 | 0.83 | 3.8 |
| 2018 | 0.97 | 4.77 |
| 2017 | 0.75 | 3.99 |
| 2016 | 0.65 | 4.85 |
| 2015 | 0.68 | 8.6 |
| 2014 | 0.94 | 8.58 |
| 2013 | 0.44 | 6.57 |
| 2012 | – | 8.77 |
| 2011 | – | 6.09 |
| 2010 | – | 4.14 |
| 2009 | – | 4.97 |
| 2008 | – | 5.76 |
| 1989 | 1.53 | – |
| 1988 | 17.44 | – |
| 1987 | 16.96 | – |
| 1986 | 28.95 | – |
| 1985 | 0.05 | – |
| 1984 | 0.14 | – |
| 1983 | 0.24 | – |
| 1982 | 0.29 | – |
| 1981 | 0.61 | – |
| 1980 | 0.55 | – |
| 1979 | 0.97 | – |
| 1978 | 1 | – |
| 1977 | 0.46 | – |
| 1976 | 0.52 | – |
| 1975 | 0.52 | – |
| 1974 | 0.73 | – |
| 1973 | 0.51 | – |
| 1972 | 0.45 | – |
| 1971 | 0.48 | – |
| 1970 | 0.5 | – |
| 1969 | 0.42 | – |
| 1968 | 0.41 | – |
| 1967 | 0.39 | – |
| 1966 | 0.35 | – |
| 1965 | 0.3 | – |
| 1964 | 0.33 | – |
| 1963 | 0.29 | – |
| 1962 | 0.25 | – |
| 1961 | 0.23 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, as a share of its economy, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- 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
Somalia vs South Sudan
Health
- Life expectancySomalia: 58.8 years in 2023South Sudan: 57.6 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySomalia: 10.1 per 100 live births in 2024South Sudan: 9.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySomalia: 66.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Sudan: 63.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSomalia: 3.79% in 2017South Sudan: 3.7% in 2017
- Suicide rateSomalia: 9.9 per 100,000 people in 2017South Sudan: 12 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSomalia: 18.4 million people in 2023South Sudan: 11.5 million people in 2023
- Population growthSomalia: 3.57% a year in 2023South Sudan: 5.86% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSomalia: 6.13 births per woman in 2023South Sudan: 3.86 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSomalia: 55.1% in 2025South Sudan: 21.7% in 2025
- Median ageSomalia: 15.5 years in 2023South Sudan: 18 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSomalia: 2.6% in 2023South Sudan: 2.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateSomalia: 2.5 per 1,000 people in 2023South Sudan: 39.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending in US dollarsSomalia: $193M in 2025South Sudan: $103M in 2025
- Military spending per personSomalia: $10 in 2025South Sudan: $15 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSomalia: 20.8% of government spending in 2025South Sudan: 18.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSomalia: 14,000 people in 2020South Sudan: 53,000 people in 2020
- National powerSomalia: 0.13% of world capability in 2022South Sudan: 0.08% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSomalia: 0.47% of the labour force in 2020South Sudan: 1.18% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSomalia: 2 million TIV in 2025South Sudan: 10 million TIV in 2022