South Africa vs Zimbabwe: Armed forces, share of workers

Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 0.4% of the labour force in South Africa and 0.88% of the labour force in Zimbabwe, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Zimbabwe, by 0.48 percentage points, or 2.21 times that in South Africa.

Watch it change on the map

% of the labour force · IISS

South AfricaZimbabweWorld

What the numbers say

Zimbabwe has been higher since 1997, when it overtook South Africa.
In 2020, South Africa ranked 131 and Zimbabwe ranked 78 of 168 countries, counting from the highest.
The world as a whole: 0.79% of the labour force in 2020.

Every year

% of the labour force · IISS

Year	South Africa	Zimbabwe	World
2020	0.4	0.88	0.79
2019	0.38	0.88	0.79
2018	0.38	0.9	0.8
2017	0.35	0.92	0.8
2016	0.36	0.93	0.81
2015	0.37	0.95	0.82
2014	0.39	0.96	0.82
2013	0.37	0.98	0.83
2012	0.31	0.99	0.87
2011	0.4	1	0.88
2010	0.4	1.01	0.89
2009	0.39	1.02	0.89
2008	0.31	1.04	0.89
2007	0.31	1.05	0.89
2006	0.53	1.06	0.95
2005	0.29	1.07	0.96
2004	0.29	1.06	0.94
2003	0.3	1.08	0.98
2002	0.33	1.25	1
2001	0.37	1.33	1.01
2000	0.41	1.36	1.07
1999	0.45	1.36	1.09
1998	1.25	1.4	1.13
1997	1.31	1.44	1.15
1996	1.7	1.59	1.18
1995	1.71	1.71	1.2
1994	0.47	1.11	0.94
1993	0.48	1.25	0.98
1992	0.49	1.26	1.03
1991	0.53	1.21	1.03
1990	0.58	1.25	1.11

Each country on its own

Good to know

Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
Ranks count the 168 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

South Africa vs Zimbabwe: Armed forces, share of workers

What the numbers say

Every year

Each country on its own

Good to know

South Africa vs Zimbabwe

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