South Africa vs United Arab Emirates
South Africa vs United Arab Emirates: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars: $3B in South Africa in 2025 and $27.8B in United Arab Emirates in 2014, by SIPRI estimates. In 2014 the value was higher in United Arab Emirates, by $24B, or 7.39 times that in South Africa.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Arab Emirates has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1997.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | South Africa | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3B | – |
| 2024 | $3.03B | – |
| 2023 | $3.21B | – |
| 2022 | $3.42B | – |
| 2021 | $3.39B | – |
| 2020 | $3.6B | – |
| 2019 | $3.47B | – |
| 2018 | $3.49B | – |
| 2017 | $3.64B | – |
| 2016 | $3.69B | – |
| 2015 | $3.79B | – |
| 2014 | $3.76B | $27.8B |
| 2013 | $3.76B | $29.5B |
| 2012 | $3.68B | $24.1B |
| 2011 | $3.53B | $24.4B |
| 2010 | $3.4B | $22.5B |
| 2009 | $3.52B | $17.9B |
| 2008 | $3.36B | $15.2B |
| 2007 | $3.38B | $12.5B |
| 2006 | $3.43B | $11.8B |
| 2005 | $3.39B | $11.9B |
| 2004 | $3.05B | $13B |
| 2003 | $2.95B | $11.7B |
| 2002 | $2.98B | $11.1B |
| 2001 | $2.72B | $12.3B |
| 2000 | $2.43B | $12.8B |
| 1999 | $2.07B | $9.37B |
| 1998 | $2.16B | $9.06B |
| 1997 | $2.44B | $7.68B |
| 1996 | $2.65B | – |
| 1995 | $3.05B | – |
| 1994 | $3.43B | – |
| 1993 | $3.22B | – |
| 1992 | $3.48B | – |
| 1991 | $4.04B | – |
| 1990 | $4.92B | – |
| 1989 | $5.46B | – |
| 1988 | $5.54B | – |
| 1987 | $4.72B | – |
| 1986 | $4.27B | – |
| 1985 | $4.19B | – |
| 1984 | $4.22B | – |
| 1983 | $3.92B | – |
| 1982 | $3.86B | – |
| 1981 | $3.92B | – |
| 1980 | $3.54B | – |
| 1979 | $3.54B | – |
| 1978 | $3.96B | – |
| 1977 | $4.41B | – |
| 1976 | $3.97B | – |
| 1975 | $3.2B | – |
| 1974 | $2.55B | – |
| 1973 | $1.98B | – |
| 1972 | $1.57B | – |
| 1971 | $1.54B | – |
| 1970 | $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
South Africa vs United Arab Emirates
Health
- Life expectancySouth Africa: 66.1 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 82.9 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024United Arab Emirates: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Arab Emirates: 4.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSouth Africa: 3.75% in 2017United Arab Emirates: 2.88% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017United Arab Emirates: 5.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 10.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023United Arab Emirates: 3.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023United Arab Emirates: 1.2 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Africa: 63.8% in 2025United Arab Emirates: 86% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Africa: 28.2 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 31.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Africa: 6.5% in 2023United Arab Emirates: 1.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 28.2 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSouth Africa: $5,713 in 2025United Arab Emirates: $41,610 in 2024
- GDP growthSouth Africa: 1.1% a year in 2025United Arab Emirates: 6.2% a year in 2025
- InflationSouth Africa: 3.2% a year in 2025United Arab Emirates: 1.3% a year in 2025
- Government debtSouth Africa: 76% of GDP in 2024United Arab Emirates: 33.9% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025United Arab Emirates: 5.64% of GDP in 2014
- Military spending per personSouth Africa: $49 in 2025United Arab Emirates: $2,840 in 2014
- Military share of state spendingSouth Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025United Arab Emirates: 17% of government spending in 2014
- Armed forces personnelSouth Africa: 89,000 people in 2020United Arab Emirates: 63,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022United Arab Emirates: 0.47% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020United Arab Emirates: 1.02% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025United Arab Emirates: 868 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSouth Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025United Arab Emirates: 33 million TIV in 2025
Climate
Technology and environment
- CO₂ per personSouth Africa: 6.88 tonnes in 2024United Arab Emirates: 18.26 tonnes in 2024
- Internet usersSouth Africa: 78.4% in 2024United Arab Emirates: 100% in 2024
- Access to electricitySouth Africa: 90.2% in 2024United Arab Emirates: 100% in 2024
- Forest areaSouth Africa: 18.8% in 2024United Arab Emirates: 4.6% in 2024