South Africa vs Sweden: Armed forces, share of workers

Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 0.4% of the labour force in South Africa and 0.27% of the labour force in Sweden, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in South Africa, by 0.12 percentage points, or 1.45 times that in Sweden.

South AfricaSweden

Watch it change on the map

% of the labour force · IISS

South AfricaSwedenWorld

Latest figures

% of the labour force · IISS

Country	Latest	10 years before	Rank in 2020
South Africa	0.4 2020	0.4	131 of 168
Sweden	0.27 2020	0.43	147 of 168
World	0.79 2020	0.89

What the numbers say

South Africa has been higher since 2018, when it overtook Sweden.
In 2020, South Africa ranked 131 and Sweden ranked 147 of 168 countries, counting from the highest.
The world as a whole: 0.79% of the labour force in 2020.

Every year

% of the labour force · IISS

Year	South Africa	Sweden	World
2020	0.4	0.27	0.79
2019	0.38	0.27	0.79
2018	0.38	0.28	0.8
2017	0.35	0.56	0.8
2016	0.36	0.58	0.81
2015	0.37	0.59	0.82
2014	0.39	0.6	0.82
2013	0.37	0.32	0.83
2012	0.31	0.32	0.87
2011	0.4	0.43	0.88
2010	0.4	0.43	0.89
2009	0.39	0.45	0.89
2008	0.31	0.36	0.89
2007	0.31	0.36	0.89
2006	0.53	0.52	0.95
2005	0.29	0.61	0.96
2004	0.29	0.6	0.94
2003	0.3	1.37	0.98
2002	0.33	1.52	1
2001	0.37	1.53	1.01
2000	0.41	1.97	1.07
1999	0.45	1.96	1.09
1998	1.25	1.99	1.13
1997	1.31	1.97	1.15
1996	1.7	2.17	1.18
1995	1.71	2.2	1.2
1994	0.47	1.57	0.94
1993	0.48	1.56	0.98
1992	0.49	1.53	1.03
1991	0.53	1.35	1.03
1990	0.58	1.38	1.11

Each country on its own

Good to know

Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
Ranks count the 168 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time