Armed forces personnel percent in South Africa
South Africa: Armed forces personnel percent was 0.147 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel percent in South Africa, 1985–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 0.147 for armed forces personnel percent in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and down 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel percent in South Africa peaked at 0.6217 in 1995 and was at its lowest, 0.1123, in 2004.
That places South Africa 138th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Armed forces personnel percent in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.3036 | — |
| 1989 | 0.2523 | -16.9% |
| 1990 | 0.2086 | -17.3% |
| 1991 | 0.1919 | -8.0% |
| 1992 | 0.1767 | -7.9% |
| 1993 | 0.1732 | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 0.1704 | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 0.6217 | +264.7% |
| 1996 | 0.6159 | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 0.4761 | -22.7% |
| 1998 | 0.458 | -3.8% |
| 1999 | 0.1672 | -63.5% |
| 2000 | 0.1518 | -9.2% |
| 2001 | 0.1409 | -7.2% |
| 2002 | 0.1249 | -11.3% |
| 2003 | 0.1148 | -8.1% |
| 2004 | 0.1123 | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 0.1132 | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 0.206 | +82.1% |
| 2007 | 0.1227 | -40.4% |
| 2008 | 0.1213 | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 0.1492 | +23.0% |
| 2010 | 0.1474 | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 0.1464 | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 0.1155 | -21.1% |
| 2013 | 0.1411 | +22.2% |
| 2014 | 0.1479 | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 0.1448 | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 0.1422 | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 0.1388 | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 0.153 | +10.2% |
| 2019 | 0.151 | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 0.147 | -2.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.147 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.4512, 33% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.147 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.1297, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Armed forces personnel percent 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +264.7% | 0.1704 | 0.6217 |
| 2006 | +82.1% | 0.1132 | 0.206 |
| 1999 | -63.5% | 0.458 | 0.1672 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.278 | 0.2523 | 0.3036 | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.326 | 0.1672 | 0.6217 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1357 | 0.1123 | 0.206 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1428 | 0.1155 | 0.153 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.147 | 0.147 | 0.147 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 135 Gambia 0.159 compare
- 136 Luxembourg 0.1586 compare
- 137 East Timor 0.1508 compare
- 139 Sweden 0.1449 compare
- 140 Philippines 0.1401 compare
- 141 Democratic Republic of Congo 0.1396 compare
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel percent in South Africa?
- Armed forces personnel percent in South Africa was 0.147 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel percent recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.6217 in 1995.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel percent recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1123 in 2004.
- How does South Africa rank for armed forces personnel percent?
- South Africa ranks 138th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel percent rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Armed forces personnel percent. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).