South Africa
Military spending in US dollars in South Africa
Military spending in US dollars in South Africa: $268M in 1951 and $3B in 2025, by SIPRI estimates.
- Latest, 2025
- $3B
- Since 1951
- +$2.73B
- Rank, 2025
- 53 of 151
- counting from the highest
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- The highest was $5.54B in 1988, the lowest $227M in 1954.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | South Africa |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $3B |
| 2024 | $3.03B |
| 2023 | $3.21B |
| 2022 | $3.42B |
| 2021 | $3.39B |
| 2020 | $3.6B |
| 2019 | $3.47B |
| 2018 | $3.49B |
| 2017 | $3.64B |
| 2016 | $3.69B |
| 2015 | $3.79B |
| 2014 | $3.76B |
| 2013 | $3.76B |
| 2012 | $3.68B |
| 2011 | $3.53B |
| 2010 | $3.4B |
| 2009 | $3.52B |
| 2008 | $3.36B |
| 2007 | $3.38B |
| 2006 | $3.43B |
| 2005 | $3.39B |
| 2004 | $3.05B |
| 2003 | $2.95B |
| 2002 | $2.98B |
| 2001 | $2.72B |
| 2000 | $2.43B |
| 1999 | $2.07B |
| 1998 | $2.16B |
| 1997 | $2.44B |
| 1996 | $2.65B |
| 1995 | $3.05B |
| 1994 | $3.43B |
| 1993 | $3.22B |
| 1992 | $3.48B |
| 1991 | $4.04B |
| 1990 | $4.92B |
| 1989 | $5.46B |
| 1988 | $5.54B |
| 1987 | $4.72B |
| 1986 | $4.27B |
| 1985 | $4.19B |
| 1984 | $4.22B |
| 1983 | $3.92B |
| 1982 | $3.86B |
| 1981 | $3.92B |
| 1980 | $3.54B |
| 1979 | $3.54B |
| 1978 | $3.96B |
| 1977 | $4.41B |
| 1976 | $3.97B |
| 1975 | $3.2B |
| 1974 | $2.55B |
| 1973 | $1.98B |
| 1972 | $1.57B |
| 1971 | $1.54B |
| 1970 | $1.4B |
| 1969 | $1.48B |
| 1968 | $1.44B |
| 1967 | $1.37B |
| 1966 | $1.23B |
| 1965 | $1.14B |
| 1964 | $1.11B |
| 1963 | $791M |
| 1962 | $790M |
| 1961 | $489M |
| 1960 | $307M |
| 1959 | $269M |
| 1958 | $286M |
| 1957 | $381M |
| 1956 | $264M |
| 1955 | $235M |
| 1954 | $227M |
| 1953 | $242M |
| 1952 | $284M |
| 1951 | $268M |
- Estimate
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- 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 in numbers
Every measure for South Africa on one page
Health
People
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per person$49 in 2025
- Military share of state spending2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnel89,000 people in 2020
- National power0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workers0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms imports30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exports115 million TIV in 2025