Armed forces personnel, total in South Africa
South Africa: Armed forces personnel, total was 89,000 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel, total in South Africa, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Analysis
In 2020, armed forces personnel, total in South Africa stood at 89,000.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and up 15.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 103,200 | 100,000 | 106,400 | 2 |
| 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
- Arms imports 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- Tax revenue 25.9% (2024)
- Taxes on income, profits and capital gains 50.8% (2024)
- Taxes on goods and services 32.1% (2024)
- Net investment in nonfinancial assets 1.3% (2024)
- Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) -4.8% (2024)
- Interest payments 18.2% (2024)
- Grants and other revenue 10.3% (2024)
- Interest payments 14.3% (2022)
- Other taxes 1.4% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total in South Africa?
- Armed forces personnel, total in South Africa was 89,000 in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 277,900 in 1996.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 55,000 in 2004.
- How does South Africa rank for armed forces personnel, total?
- South Africa ranks 54th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total 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 The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, published as part of Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.