Military expenditure (current USD), per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Military expenditure (current USD), per capita was 44.31 current USD per person in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
44.31 current USD per person
Change on year
down 2.6%
World rank
110th
of 167 countries
All-time high
110.78 current USD per person
in 1988
All-time low
4.26 current USD per person
in 1960
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Military expenditure (current USD), per capita in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current USD per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military expenditure (current usd), per capita in South Africa is 44.31 current USD per person, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 36.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure (current usd), per capita in South Africa peaked at 110.78 current USD per person in 1988 and was at its lowest, 4.26 current USD per person, in 1960.
South Africa ranks 110th of 167 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Military expenditure (current USD), per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current USD per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.26 current USD per person | — |
| 1961 | 6.73 current USD per person | +58.0% |
| 1962 | 10.69 current USD per person | +58.9% |
| 1963 | 10.53 current USD per person | -1.5% |
| 1964 | 14.67 current USD per person | +39.4% |
| 1965 | 15.16 current USD per person | +3.3% |
| 1966 | 16.48 current USD per person | +8.7% |
| 1967 | 18.37 current USD per person | +11.5% |
| 1968 | 19.07 current USD per person | +3.8% |
| 1969 | 19.69 current USD per person | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 18.76 current USD per person | -4.7% |
| 1971 | 21.18 current USD per person | +12.9% |
| 1972 | 20.86 current USD per person | -1.5% |
| 1973 | 30.99 current USD per person | +48.6% |
| 1974 | 44.11 current USD per person | +42.3% |
| 1975 | 55.73 current USD per person | +26.3% |
| 1976 | 63.54 current USD per person | +14.0% |
| 1977 | 76.47 current USD per person | +20.3% |
| 1978 | 74.2 current USD per person | -3.0% |
| 1979 | 75.46 current USD per person | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 90.17 current USD per person | +19.5% |
| 1981 | 98.62 current USD per person | +9.4% |
| 1982 | 86.82 current USD per person | -12.0% |
| 1983 | 93.24 current USD per person | +7.4% |
| 1984 | 81.73 current USD per person | -12.3% |
| 1985 | 60.42 current USD per person | -26.1% |
| 1986 | 69.04 current USD per person | +14.3% |
| 1987 | 96.34 current USD per person | +39.5% |
| 1988 | 110.78 current USD per person | +15.0% |
| 1989 | 105.53 current USD per person | -4.7% |
| 1990 | 107.11 current USD per person | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 92.94 current USD per person | -13.2% |
| 1992 | 86.64 current USD per person | -6.8% |
| 1993 | 75.16 current USD per person | -13.3% |
| 1994 | 79.05 current USD per person | +5.2% |
| 1995 | 73.92 current USD per person | -6.5% |
| 1996 | 57.44 current USD per person | -22.3% |
| 1997 | 52.86 current USD per person | -8.0% |
| 1998 | 41.23 current USD per person | -22.0% |
| 1999 | 37.19 current USD per person | -9.8% |
| 2000 | 40.11 current USD per person | +7.9% |
| 2001 | 37.89 current USD per person | -5.5% |
| 2002 | 36.78 current USD per person | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 53.08 current USD per person | +44.3% |
| 2004 | 63.26 current USD per person | +19.2% |
| 2005 | 72.07 current USD per person | +13.9% |
| 2006 | 70.13 current USD per person | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 69.78 current USD per person | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 64.29 current USD per person | -7.9% |
| 2009 | 69.45 current USD per person | +8.0% |
| 2010 | 80.01 current USD per person | +15.2% |
| 2011 | 86.69 current USD per person | +8.3% |
| 2012 | 83.48 current USD per person | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 75.32 current USD per person | -9.8% |
| 2014 | 70.02 current USD per person | -7.0% |
| 2015 | 61.51 current USD per person | -12.2% |
| 2016 | 54.83 current USD per person | -10.9% |
| 2017 | 62.31 current USD per person | +13.7% |
| 2018 | 61.81 current USD per person | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 57.65 current USD per person | -6.7% |
| 2020 | 53.35 current USD per person | -7.5% |
| 2021 | 55.17 current USD per person | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 52.06 current USD per person | -5.6% |
| 2023 | 45.5 current USD per person | -12.6% |
| 2024 | 44.31 current USD per person | -2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.56 current USD per person | 4.26 current USD per person | 19.69 current USD per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 48.13 current USD per person | 18.76 current USD per person | 76.47 current USD per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 89.27 current USD per person | 60.42 current USD per person | 110.78 current USD per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 70.35 current USD per person | 37.19 current USD per person | 107.11 current USD per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.68 current USD per person | 36.78 current USD per person | 72.07 current USD per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.36 current USD per person | 54.83 current USD per person | 86.69 current USD per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.08 current USD per person | 44.31 current USD per person | 55.17 current USD per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 107 Mauritania 50.31 current USD per person compare
- 108 Moldova 46.09 current USD per person compare
- 109 Uzbekistan 44.49 current USD per person compare
- 111 Burkina Faso 43.47 current USD per person compare
- 112 Cambodia 40.85 current USD per person compare
- 113 Djibouti 40.63 current USD per person compare
More public sector data for South Africa
- Arms imports 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- 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)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0071 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate -1.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 2.84 billion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 24.73 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per square kilometre 2,371 current USD per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure (current usd), per capita in South Africa?
- Military expenditure (current usd), per capita in South Africa was 44.31 current USD per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military expenditure (current usd), per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 110.78 current USD per person in 1988.
- What is the lowest military expenditure (current usd), per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.26 current USD per person in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for military expenditure (current usd), per capita?
- South Africa ranks 110th out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Is military expenditure (current usd), per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military expenditure (current USD), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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How this figure is calculated
Military expenditure (current USD) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military expenditure (current USD) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Military expenditure SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
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
Military expenditure (current USD) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.