South Africa vs United Kingdom
South Africa vs United Kingdom: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 2.2% of government spending in South Africa and 5.4% of government spending in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by 3.3 percentage points, or 2.49 times that in South Africa.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2000.
- In 2025, South Africa ranked 135 and United Kingdom ranked 69 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | South Africa | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.2 | 5.4 |
| 2024 | 2.3 | 5.6 |
| 2023 | 2.5 | 4.9 |
| 2022 | 2.7 | 4.7 |
| 2021 | 2.6 | 4.5 |
| 2020 | 2.8 | 4.3 |
| 2019 | 2.8 | 5.1 |
| 2018 | 3 | 5 |
| 2017 | 3.2 | 5 |
| 2016 | 3.2 | 5 |
| 2015 | 3.3 | 5.1 |
| 2014 | 3.5 | 5.3 |
| 2013 | 3.6 | 5.5 |
| 2012 | 3.6 | 5.6 |
| 2011 | 3.6 | 5.7 |
| 2010 | 3.5 | 5.8 |
| 2009 | 3.8 | 5.9 |
| 2008 | 4 | 6.1 |
| 2007 | 4.3 | 6.2 |
| 2006 | 4.7 | 6.2 |
| 2005 | 4.9 | 6.3 |
| 2004 | 5.3 | 6.5 |
| 2003 | 5.8 | 6.8 |
| 2002 | 6.2 | 6.9 |
| 2001 | 5.9 | 6.9 |
| 2000 | 5.5 | 7 |
| 1999 | – | 7.1 |
| 1998 | – | 7.2 |
| 1997 | – | 7.3 |
| 1996 | – | 7.6 |
| 1995 | – | 7.6 |
| 1994 | – | 8.3 |
| 1993 | – | 8.7 |
| 1992 | – | 9.4 |
| 1991 | – | 10.5 |
| 1990 | – | 10.4 |
| 1989 | – | 11 |
| 1988 | – | 11.3 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The part of everything the government spends that goes on its armed forces and defence, 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 150 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 Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancySouth Africa: 66.1 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSouth Africa: 3.75% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Africa: 63.8% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Africa: 28.2 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Africa: 6.5% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSouth Africa: $5,713 in 2025United Kingdom: $48,420 in 2025
- GDP growthSouth Africa: 1.1% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 1.2% a year in 2025
- InflationSouth Africa: 3.2% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 3.4% a year in 2025
- Government debtSouth Africa: 76% of GDP in 2024United Kingdom: 102.1% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Africa: $3B in 2025United Kingdom: $88B in 2025
- Military spending per personSouth Africa: $49 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSouth Africa: 89,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSouth Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025