Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in South Africa
South Africa: Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled was 89,000 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in South Africa, 1985–2020
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in South Africa is 89,000, measured in 2020.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and up 15.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in South Africa peaked at 277,900 in 1996 and was at its lowest, 55,000, in 2004.
That places South Africa 54th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 106,400 | — |
| 1986 | 104,800 | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 103,200 | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 101,600 | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 100,000 | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 85,000 | -15.0% |
| 1991 | 80,000 | -5.9% |
| 1992 | 75,000 | -6.2% |
| 1993 | 75,000 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 75,000 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 276,900 | +269.2% |
| 1996 | 277,900 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 217,440 | -21.8% |
| 1998 | 211,700 | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 78,150 | -63.1% |
| 2000 | 71,600 | -8.4% |
| 2001 | 67,000 | -6.4% |
| 2002 | 60,000 | -10.4% |
| 2003 | 55,700 | -7.2% |
| 2004 | 55,000 | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 56,000 | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 103,000 | +83.9% |
| 2007 | 62,000 | -39.8% |
| 2008 | 62,000 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 77,153 | +24.4% |
| 2010 | 77,153 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 77,582 | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 62,100 | -20.0% |
| 2013 | 77,150 | +24.2% |
| 2014 | 82,250 | +6.6% |
| 2015 | 82,150 | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 81,400 | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 80,000 | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 89,650 | +12.1% |
| 2019 | 90,000 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 89,000 | -1.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 89,000 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 64,000, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 89,000 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 16,000, 5.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +269.2% | 75,000 | 276,900 |
| 2006 | +83.9% | 56,000 | 103,000 |
| 1999 | -63.1% | 211,700 | 78,150 |
| 2007 | -39.8% | 103,000 | 62,000 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 103,200 | 100,000 | 106,400 | 5 |
| 1990s | 145,209 | 75,000 | 277,900 | 10 |
| 2000s | 66,945 | 55,000 | 103,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 79,944 | 62,100 | 90,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 89,000 | 89,000 | 89,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More public sector data for South Africa
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Democracy 7 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in South Africa?
- Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in South Africa was 89,000 in 2020, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 277,900 in 1996.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 55,000 in 2004.
- How does South Africa rank for armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled?
- South Africa ranks 54th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Armed forces personnel, total with 597 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Armed forces personnel, total The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Armed forces personnel, total with 597 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.