Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in South Africa
South Africa: Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) was 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
78th
of 174 countries
All-time high
910.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
in 2007
All-time low
1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
in 2013
Years of data
54
1960–2025
Arms imports in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in SIPRI trend indicator values.
Analysis
In 2025, arms imports in South Africa stood at 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1,400.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arms imports in South Africa peaked at 910.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2007 and was at its lowest, 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, in 2013.
South Africa ranks 78th of 174 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | SIPRI trend indicator values | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | — |
| 1962 | 232.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +1684.6% |
| 1963 | 520.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +124.1% |
| 1964 | 302.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -41.9% |
| 1965 | 386.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +27.8% |
| 1966 | 496.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +28.5% |
| 1967 | 299.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -39.7% |
| 1968 | 217.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -27.4% |
| 1969 | 211.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -2.8% |
| 1970 | 511.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +142.2% |
| 1971 | 309.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -39.5% |
| 1972 | 291.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -5.8% |
| 1973 | 369.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +26.8% |
| 1974 | 177.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -52.0% |
| 1975 | 235.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +32.8% |
| 1976 | 419.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +78.3% |
| 1977 | 500.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +19.3% |
| 1978 | 389.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -22.2% |
| 1979 | 125.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -67.9% |
| 1980 | 192.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +53.6% |
| 1981 | 122.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -36.5% |
| 1982 | 44.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -63.9% |
| 1983 | 192.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +336.4% |
| 1984 | 100.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -47.9% |
| 1985 | 25.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -75.0% |
| 1986 | 191.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +664.0% |
| 1987 | 20.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -89.5% |
| 1988 | 17.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -15.0% |
| 1989 | 11.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -35.3% |
| 1990 | 10.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -9.1% |
| 1991 | 26.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +160.0% |
| 1992 | 361.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +1288.5% |
| 1993 | 238.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -34.1% |
| 1994 | 239.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 38.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -84.1% |
| 1996 | 38.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 11.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -71.1% |
| 1999 | 21.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +90.9% |
| 2000 | 6.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -71.4% |
| 2001 | 18.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +200.0% |
| 2005 | 262.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +1355.6% |
| 2006 | 741.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +182.8% |
| 2007 | 910.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +22.8% |
| 2008 | 493.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -45.8% |
| 2009 | 134.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -72.8% |
| 2010 | 178.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +32.8% |
| 2011 | 208.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +16.9% |
| 2012 | 127.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -38.9% |
| 2013 | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -99.2% |
| 2014 | 50.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +4900.0% |
| 2015 | 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -96.0% |
| 2022 | 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +1400.0% |
| 2023 | 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.50 million SIPRI trend indicator values, 1.9× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.50 million SIPRI trend indicator values, 5.5× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +4900.0% | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 50.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 1962 | +1684.6% | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 232.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 2022 | +1400.0% | 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 2005 | +1355.6% | 18.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 262.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 1992 | +1288.5% | 26.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 361.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 1986 | +664.0% | 25.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 191.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 297.33 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 520.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 9 |
| 1970s | 332.50 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 125.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 511.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1980s | 91.40 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 11.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 192.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1990s | 109.11 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 361.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 9 |
| 2000s | 366.29 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 6.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 910.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 7 |
| 2010s | 94.33 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 208.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 6 |
| 2020s | 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 75 Bangladesh 32.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 75 Trinidad and Tobago 32.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 75 Uzbekistan 32.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 78 Bahrain 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 78 Ecuador 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 81 Austria 29.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 81 Lithuania 29.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values 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 (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)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arms imports in South Africa?
- Arms imports in South Africa was 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2025, according to Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest arms imports recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 910.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2007.
- What is the lowest arms imports recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2013.
- How does South Africa rank for arms imports?
- South Africa ranks 78th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is arms imports rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,400.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Arms transfers (imports) cover the volume of transfers of major arms through sales and gifts, and those made through manufacturing licenses. Data cover major conventional weapons such as aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery, radar systems, missiles, and ships. Figures are SIPRI Trend Indicator Values (TIVs). A '0' indicates that the volume of deliveries is between 0 and 0.5 million SIPRI TIV.