South Africa vs Thailand
South Africa vs Thailand: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $49 in South Africa and $84 in Thailand, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Thailand, by $34, or 1.69 times that in South Africa.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Thailand has been higher since 2013, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, South Africa ranked 100 and Thailand ranked 81 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | South Africa | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $49 | $84 |
| 2024 | $48 | $77 |
| 2023 | $49 | $80 |
| 2022 | $56 | $84 |
| 2021 | $58 | $99 |
| 2020 | $54 | $102 |
| 2019 | $58 | $100 |
| 2018 | $62 | $93 |
| 2017 | $63 | $86 |
| 2016 | $55 | $79 |
| 2015 | $62 | $77 |
| 2014 | $71 | $80 |
| 2013 | $76 | $80 |
| 2012 | $84 | $78 |
| 2011 | $87 | $75 |
| 2010 | $81 | $76 |
| 2009 | $70 | $64 |
| 2008 | $65 | $54 |
| 2007 | $70 | $40 |
| 2006 | $70 | $32 |
| 2005 | $72 | $28 |
| 2004 | $64 | $30 |
| 2003 | $53 | $29 |
| 2002 | $37 | $28 |
| 2001 | $38 | $27 |
| 2000 | $40 | $30 |
| 1999 | $37 | $33 |
| 1998 | $41 | $35 |
| 1997 | $53 | $54 |
| 1996 | $58 | $66 |
| 1995 | $74 | $66 |
| 1994 | $79 | $62 |
| 1993 | $76 | $55 |
| 1992 | $87 | $53 |
| 1991 | $94 | $47 |
| 1990 | $109 | $41 |
| 1989 | $107 | $36 |
| 1988 | $113 | $34 |
- 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
South Africa vs Thailand
Health
- Life expectancySouth Africa: 66.1 years in 2023Thailand: 76.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024Thailand: 0.9 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023Thailand: 6.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSouth Africa: 3.75% in 2017Thailand: 3.09% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Thailand: 10.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023Thailand: 71.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023Thailand: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023Thailand: 1.21 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Africa: 63.8% in 2025Thailand: 62.8% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Africa: 28.2 years in 2023Thailand: 39.7 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Africa: 6.5% in 2023Thailand: 14.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Thailand: 0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025Thailand: 1.04% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Africa: $3B in 2025Thailand: $5.57B in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025Thailand: 4.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSouth Africa: 89,000 people in 2020Thailand: 455,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022Thailand: 0.79% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020Thailand: 1.13% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025Thailand: 33 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSouth Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025Thailand: 15 million TIV in 2024