Military expenditure (current USD), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Military expenditure (current USD), per capita was 16.8 current USD per person in 2024. ▲ Rising
Military expenditure (current USD), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1963–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current USD per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military expenditure (current usd), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa is 16.8 current USD per person, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.7% on the previous year and down 28.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure (current usd), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 24.39 current USD per person in 1980 and was at its lowest, 1.72 current USD per person, in 1963.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 36th out of 41 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
Military expenditure (current USD), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | current USD per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 1.72 current USD per person | — |
| 1964 | 2.22 current USD per person | +28.9% |
| 1965 | 2.6 current USD per person | +16.8% |
| 1966 | 2.7 current USD per person | +3.9% |
| 1967 | 3.24 current USD per person | +19.9% |
| 1968 | 4.02 current USD per person | +24.2% |
| 1969 | 5.38 current USD per person | +33.9% |
| 1970 | 5.49 current USD per person | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 5.73 current USD per person | +4.3% |
| 1972 | 6.62 current USD per person | +15.5% |
| 1973 | 8.05 current USD per person | +21.7% |
| 1974 | 10.61 current USD per person | +31.9% |
| 1975 | 16.85 current USD per person | +58.7% |
| 1976 | 16.38 current USD per person | -2.8% |
| 1977 | 19.77 current USD per person | +20.7% |
| 1978 | 21.69 current USD per person | +9.7% |
| 1979 | 23.27 current USD per person | +7.3% |
| 1980 | 24.39 current USD per person | +4.8% |
| 1981 | 21.95 current USD per person | -10.0% |
| 1982 | 19.12 current USD per person | -12.9% |
| 1983 | 19.28 current USD per person | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 17.97 current USD per person | -6.8% |
| 1985 | 15.6 current USD per person | -13.2% |
| 1986 | 15.35 current USD per person | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 17.3 current USD per person | +12.7% |
| 1988 | 18.97 current USD per person | +9.6% |
| 1989 | 18.3 current USD per person | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 20.8 current USD per person | +13.7% |
| 1991 | 17.48 current USD per person | -15.9% |
| 1992 | 13.51 current USD per person | -22.7% |
| 1993 | 14.78 current USD per person | +9.3% |
| 1994 | 11.22 current USD per person | -24.1% |
| 1995 | 10.4 current USD per person | -7.3% |
| 1996 | 9.34 current USD per person | -10.2% |
| 1997 | 9.71 current USD per person | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 8.94 current USD per person | -8.0% |
| 1999 | 10.19 current USD per person | +14.1% |
| 2000 | 9.34 current USD per person | -8.3% |
| 2001 | 8.23 current USD per person | -11.9% |
| 2002 | 9.15 current USD per person | +11.1% |
| 2003 | 10.08 current USD per person | +10.2% |
| 2004 | 12.29 current USD per person | +21.9% |
| 2005 | 13.36 current USD per person | +8.6% |
| 2006 | 15.62 current USD per person | +17.0% |
| 2007 | 17.23 current USD per person | +10.2% |
| 2008 | 21.23 current USD per person | +23.3% |
| 2009 | 20.51 current USD per person | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 18.56 current USD per person | -9.5% |
| 2011 | 19.84 current USD per person | +6.9% |
| 2012 | 19.86 current USD per person | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 22.41 current USD per person | +12.8% |
| 2014 | 23.34 current USD per person | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 19.91 current USD per person | -14.7% |
| 2016 | 18.28 current USD per person | -8.2% |
| 2017 | 20.07 current USD per person | +9.8% |
| 2018 | 16.76 current USD per person | -16.5% |
| 2019 | 15.68 current USD per person | -6.4% |
| 2020 | 15.96 current USD per person | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 18.57 current USD per person | +16.4% |
| 2022 | 17.69 current USD per person | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 18.4 current USD per person | +4.0% |
| 2024 | 16.8 current USD per person | -8.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.13 current USD per person | 1.72 current USD per person | 5.38 current USD per person | 7 |
| 1970s | 13.45 current USD per person | 5.49 current USD per person | 23.27 current USD per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.82 current USD per person | 15.35 current USD per person | 24.39 current USD per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.64 current USD per person | 8.94 current USD per person | 20.8 current USD per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.71 current USD per person | 8.23 current USD per person | 21.23 current USD per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.47 current USD per person | 15.68 current USD per person | 23.34 current USD per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.49 current USD per person | 15.96 current USD per person | 18.57 current USD per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 33 Czechia 598.35 current USD per person compare
- 34 Austria 572.97 current USD per person compare
- 35 New Zealand 566.83 current USD per person compare
- 36 Slovakia 525.49 current USD per person compare
- 37 Uruguay 512.83 current USD per person compare
- 38 Spain 503.91 current USD per person compare
- 39 Hungary 495.15 current USD per person compare
More public sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Arms imports 731.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.5807 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0003 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 25.82 % change on previous year (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 731.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0109 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate -6.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 21.67 billion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 30.58 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per square kilometre 968.94 current USD per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure (current usd), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Military expenditure (current usd), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa was 16.8 current USD per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military expenditure (current usd), per capita recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 24.39 current USD per person in 1980.
- What is the lowest military expenditure (current usd), per capita recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.72 current USD per person in 1963.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for military expenditure (current usd), per capita?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 36th out of 41 groups with data for 2024.
- Is military expenditure (current usd), per capita rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan 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.
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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.