South Africa vs United Kingdom
South Africa vs United Kingdom: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $49 in South Africa and $1,283 in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by $1,234, or 26 times that in South Africa.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1988.
- In 2025, South Africa ranked 100 and United Kingdom ranked 15 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | South Africa | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $49 | $1,283 |
| 2024 | $48 | $1,303 |
| 2023 | $49 | $1,075 |
| 2022 | $56 | $943 |
| 2021 | $58 | $966 |
| 2020 | $54 | $867 |
| 2019 | $58 | $845 |
| 2018 | $62 | $839 |
| 2017 | $63 | $787 |
| 2016 | $55 | $812 |
| 2015 | $62 | $921 |
| 2014 | $71 | $1,037 |
| 2013 | $76 | $995 |
| 2012 | $84 | $1,027 |
| 2011 | $87 | $1,052 |
| 2010 | $81 | $1,020 |
| 2009 | $70 | $1,028 |
| 2008 | $65 | $1,180 |
| 2007 | $70 | $1,199 |
| 2006 | $70 | $1,056 |
| 2005 | $72 | $1,021 |
| 2004 | $64 | $1,005 |
| 2003 | $53 | $877 |
| 2002 | $37 | $745 |
| 2001 | $38 | $668 |
| 2000 | $40 | $667 |
| 1999 | $37 | $694 |
| 1998 | $41 | $704 |
| 1997 | $53 | $683 |
| 1996 | $58 | $662 |
| 1995 | $74 | $659 |
| 1994 | $79 | $666 |
| 1993 | $76 | $659 |
| 1992 | $87 | $791 |
| 1991 | $94 | $819 |
| 1990 | $109 | $760 |
| 1989 | $107 | $656 |
| 1988 | $113 | $674 |
- 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 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 share of state spendingSouth Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending 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