South Africa vs United Arab Emirates
South Africa vs United Arab Emirates: Military spending per person
Military spending per person: $49 in South Africa in 2025 and $2,840 in United Arab Emirates in 2014, by SIPRI estimates. In 2014 the value was higher in United Arab Emirates, by $2,769, or 40 times that in South Africa.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Arab Emirates has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1997.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | South Africa | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $49 | – |
| 2024 | $48 | – |
| 2023 | $49 | – |
| 2022 | $56 | – |
| 2021 | $58 | – |
| 2020 | $54 | – |
| 2019 | $58 | – |
| 2018 | $62 | – |
| 2017 | $63 | – |
| 2016 | $55 | – |
| 2015 | $62 | – |
| 2014 | $71 | $2,840 |
| 2013 | $76 | $3,080 |
| 2012 | $84 | $2,590 |
| 2011 | $87 | $2,719 |
| 2010 | $81 | $2,566 |
| 2009 | $70 | $2,099 |
| 2008 | $65 | $1,924 |
| 2007 | $70 | $1,616 |
| 2006 | $70 | $1,498 |
| 2005 | $72 | $1,452 |
| 2004 | $64 | $1,581 |
| 2003 | $53 | $1,432 |
| 2002 | $37 | $1,395 |
| 2001 | $38 | $1,607 |
| 2000 | $40 | $1,739 |
| 1999 | $37 | $1,343 |
| 1998 | $41 | $1,370 |
| 1997 | $53 | $1,232 |
| 1996 | $58 | – |
| 1995 | $74 | – |
| 1994 | $79 | – |
| 1993 | $76 | – |
| 1992 | $87 | – |
| 1991 | $94 | – |
| 1990 | $109 | – |
| 1989 | $107 | – |
| 1988 | $113 | – |
- 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 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 in US dollarsSouth Africa: $3B in 2025United Arab Emirates: $27.8B 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