South Africa vs Switzerland: Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure)
South Africa
2.2%
in 2025
Switzerland
2.4%
in 2025
South Africa rank
147th
Switzerland rank
144th
Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) over time
- South Africa
- Switzerland
How they compare
Switzerland currently reports 2.4% against 2.2% in South Africa, a difference of 0.2%.
That makes Switzerland's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 26 shared years of data; in 2000 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 147th and Switzerland ranks 144th of 164 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Switzerland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.0% | 2.6% | 2.4% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 3.3% | 2.1% | 1.2% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 0.3% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher military expenditure, South Africa or Switzerland?
- Switzerland, at 2.4% against 2.2% in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in military expenditure between South Africa and Switzerland?
- 0.2%, with Switzerland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Switzerland?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2025.
- How do South Africa and Switzerland rank globally for military expenditure?
- South Africa ranks 147th and Switzerland ranks 144th 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