Nicaragua vs South Africa: Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure)
Nicaragua
2.0%
in 2025
South Africa
2.2%
in 2025
Nicaragua rank
150th
South Africa rank
147th
Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) over time
- Nicaragua
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 2.2% against 2.0% in Nicaragua, a difference of 0.2%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Nicaragua's.
Across all 26 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Nicaragua ranks 150th and South Africa ranks 147th of 164 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Nicaragua | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.7% | 5.0% | 2.3% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 2.5% | 3.3% | 0.8% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 2.0% | 2.5% | 0.5% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher military expenditure, Nicaragua or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 2.2% against 2.0% in Nicaragua as of 2025.
- What is the difference in military expenditure between Nicaragua and South Africa?
- 0.2%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Nicaragua and South Africa?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2025.
- How do Nicaragua and South Africa rank globally for military expenditure?
- Nicaragua ranks 150th and South Africa ranks 147th of 164 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Military expenditure expressed as a percentage of general government expenditure