Armed forces personnel, total, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Armed forces personnel, total, per square kilometre was 0.0734 units per square kilometre in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel, total, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1985–2020
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2020, armed forces personnel, total, per square kilometre in South Africa stood at 0.0734 units per square kilometre.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and up 15.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 0.2291 units per square kilometre in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.0453 units per square kilometre, in 2004.
That places South Africa 130th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Armed forces personnel, total, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.0877 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1989 | 0.0824 units per square kilometre | -6.0% |
| 1990 | 0.0701 units per square kilometre | -15.0% |
| 1991 | 0.0659 units per square kilometre | -5.9% |
| 1992 | 0.0618 units per square kilometre | -6.2% |
| 1993 | 0.0618 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.0618 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.2283 units per square kilometre | +269.2% |
| 1996 | 0.2291 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 0.1792 units per square kilometre | -21.8% |
| 1998 | 0.1745 units per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 0.0644 units per square kilometre | -63.1% |
| 2000 | 0.059 units per square kilometre | -8.4% |
| 2001 | 0.0552 units per square kilometre | -6.4% |
| 2002 | 0.0495 units per square kilometre | -10.4% |
| 2003 | 0.0459 units per square kilometre | -7.2% |
| 2004 | 0.0453 units per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 0.0462 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 0.0849 units per square kilometre | +83.9% |
| 2007 | 0.0511 units per square kilometre | -39.8% |
| 2008 | 0.0511 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.0636 units per square kilometre | +24.4% |
| 2010 | 0.0636 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.064 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 0.0512 units per square kilometre | -20.0% |
| 2013 | 0.0636 units per square kilometre | +24.2% |
| 2014 | 0.0678 units per square kilometre | +6.6% |
| 2015 | 0.0677 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 0.0671 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 0.0659 units per square kilometre | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 0.0739 units per square kilometre | +12.1% |
| 2019 | 0.0742 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 0.0734 units per square kilometre | -1.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.0734 units per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3671 units per square kilometre, 20% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.0734 units per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.0719 units per square kilometre, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Armed forces personnel, total, per square kilometre 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% | 0.0618 units per square kilometre | 0.2283 units per square kilometre |
| 2006 | +83.9% | 0.0462 units per square kilometre | 0.0849 units per square kilometre |
| 1999 | -63.1% | 0.1745 units per square kilometre | 0.0644 units per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0851 units per square kilometre | 0.0824 units per square kilometre | 0.0877 units per square kilometre | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.1197 units per square kilometre | 0.0618 units per square kilometre | 0.2291 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0552 units per square kilometre | 0.0453 units per square kilometre | 0.0849 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0659 units per square kilometre | 0.0512 units per square kilometre | 0.0742 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0734 units per square kilometre | 0.0734 units per square kilometre | 0.0734 units per square kilometre | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 127 South Sudan 0.0839 units per square kilometre compare
- 128 Sudan 0.0771 units per square kilometre compare
- 129 Yemen 0.0758 units per square kilometre compare
- 131 Paraguay 0.073 units per square kilometre compare
- 132 Finland 0.0724 units per square kilometre compare
- 133 Cameroon 0.0719 units per square kilometre compare
More public sector data for South Africa
- Democracy, 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)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, 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)
- Arms imports 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.4746 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Armed forces personnel, total, per square kilometre in South Africa was 0.0734 units per square kilometre in 2020, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.2291 units per square kilometre in 1996.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0453 units per square kilometre in 2004.
- How does South Africa rank for armed forces personnel, total, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 130th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total, per square kilometre 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, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Armed forces personnel, total divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Armed forces personnel, total ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Armed forces personnel, total The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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 divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.