Cuba vs South Africa: Armed forces personnel, total
Cuba
76,000
in 2020
South Africa
89,000
in 2020
Cuba rank
57th
South Africa rank
54th
Armed forces personnel, total over time
- Cuba
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 89,000 against 76,000 in Cuba, a difference of 13,000.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.2 times Cuba's.
The two have swapped places 7 times across 33 shared years of data; in 1985 it was Cuba ahead.
Cuba ranks 57th and South Africa ranks 54th of 173 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Cuba averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Cuba | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 229,250 | 103,200 | 126,050 | Cuba |
| 1990s | 157,650 | 145,209 | 12,441 | Cuba |
| 2000s | 75,650 | 66,945 | 8,705 | Cuba |
| 2010s | 75,650 | 79,944 | 4,294 | South Africa |
| 2020s | 76,000 | 89,000 | 13,000 | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, Cuba or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 89,000 against 76,000 in Cuba as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between Cuba and South Africa?
- 13,000, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Cuba and South Africa?
- 33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do Cuba and South Africa rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
- Cuba ranks 57th and South Africa ranks 54th of 173 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, published as Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if the training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.