Mexico vs South Africa: Military spending, per unit of GDP

Mexico
0.0075 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 2025
South Africa
0.007 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 2025
Mexico rank
132nd
South Africa rank
135th

Military spending, per unit of GDP over time

  • Mexico
  • South Africa
00.020.040.060.080.1196019922025

How they compare

Mexico currently reports 0.0075 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP against 0.007 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in South Africa, a difference of 0.0005 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP.

That makes Mexico's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 66 shared years of data; in 1960 it was Mexico ahead.

Mexico ranks 132nd and South Africa ranks 135th of 160 countries.

Across the 7 decades both report, Mexico averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 6.

Head to head by decade

Decade Mexico South Africa Difference Ahead
1960s 0.0522 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0754 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0233 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP South Africa
1970s 0.0288 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0718 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.043 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP South Africa
1980s 0.0174 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0493 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0319 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP South Africa
1990s 0.0087 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0213 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0126 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP South Africa
2000s 0.0053 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.014 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0088 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP South Africa
2010s 0.0061 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0093 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0032 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP South Africa
2020s 0.0089 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0084 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0005 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP Mexico

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher military spending, per unit of gdp, Mexico or South Africa?
Mexico, at 0.0075 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP against 0.007 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in South Africa as of 2025.
What is the difference in military spending, per unit of gdp between Mexico and South Africa?
0.0005 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, with Mexico ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Mexico and South Africa?
66 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2025.
How do Mexico and South Africa rank globally for military spending, per unit of gdp?
Mexico ranks 132nd and South Africa ranks 135th of 160 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Statizoid (derived), published as Military spending, per unit of GDP. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Mexico vs South Africa: Military spending, per unit of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 21 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/military-spending-per-unit-of-gdp/mexico/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Military spending, per unit of GDP
Unit
constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
160 places, 7,842 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Military spending divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.