South Sudan vs Zimbabwe
South Sudan vs Zimbabwe: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 53,000 people in South Sudan and 51,000 people in Zimbabwe, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in South Sudan, by 2,000 people, or 1.04 times that in Zimbabwe.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- South Sudan has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2010.
- In 2020, South Sudan ranked 67 and Zimbabwe ranked 69 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | South Sudan | Zimbabwe | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 53,000 | 51,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 185,000 | 51,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 185,000 | 51,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 185,000 | 51,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 185,000 | 50,800 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 185,000 | 50,800 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 185,000 | 50,800 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 185,000 | 50,800 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 210,000 | 50,800 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 210,000 | 50,800 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 140,000 | 50,800 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | – | 50,800 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | – | 51,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | – | 51,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | – | 51,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | – | 51,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | – | 50,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | – | 50,800 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | – | 57,800 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | – | 60,800 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | – | 61,800 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | – | 60,800 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | – | 60,800 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | – | 60,800 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | – | 64,800 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | – | 67,800 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | – | 43,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | – | 48,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | – | 48,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | – | 45,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | – | 45,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | – | 51,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | – | 41,000 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | – | 46,000 | – |
| 1983 | – | 46,000 | – |
| 1982 | – | 50,000 | – |
| 1981 | – | 74,000 | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Correlates of War
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel, with paramilitary forces where they are trained and equipped like soldiers, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Before 1985: Correlates of War Project, National Material Capabilities v7.0; Singer, Bremer and Stuckey (1972), “Capability Distribution, Uncertainty, and Major Power War, 1820–1965”, in Bruce Russett (ed.), Peace, War, and Numbers, Sage, 19–48.
- Ranks count the 170 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 Sudan vs Zimbabwe
Health
- Life expectancySouth Sudan: 57.6 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 62.8 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Sudan: 9.7 per 100 live births in 2024Zimbabwe: 6.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Sudan: 63.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023Zimbabwe: 33.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSouth Sudan: 3.7% in 2017Zimbabwe: 3.19% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Sudan: 12 per 100,000 people in 2017Zimbabwe: 26.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Sudan: 11.5 million people in 2023Zimbabwe: 16.3 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Sudan: 5.86% a year in 2023Zimbabwe: 1.68% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Sudan: 3.86 births per woman in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Sudan: 21.7% in 2025Zimbabwe: 40.5% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Sudan: 18 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 17.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Sudan: 2.9% in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Sudan: 39.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Zimbabwe: -6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Sudan: 3.43% of GDP in 2025Zimbabwe: 0.56% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Sudan: $103M in 2025Zimbabwe: $134M in 2025
- Military spending per personSouth Sudan: $15 in 2025Zimbabwe: $10 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Sudan: 18.4% of government spending in 2025Zimbabwe: 5.3% of government spending in 2005
- National powerSouth Sudan: 0.08% of world capability in 2022Zimbabwe: 0.08% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Sudan: 1.18% of the labour force in 2020Zimbabwe: 0.88% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Sudan: 10 million TIV in 2022Zimbabwe: 20 million TIV in 2023