Military spending as a share of government spending in South Africa
South Africa: Military spending as a share of government spending was 2.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Military spending as a share of government spending in South Africa, 2000–2025
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of government spending.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending as a share of government spending in South Africa is 2.2%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is down 4.4% on the previous year and down 34.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of government spending in South Africa peaked at 6.2% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 2025.
South Africa ranks 146th of 162 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Military spending as a share of government spending in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of government spending | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5.5% | — |
| 2001 | 5.9% | +6.9% |
| 2002 | 6.2% | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 5.8% | -6.2% |
| 2004 | 5.3% | -7.6% |
| 2005 | 4.9% | -7.9% |
| 2006 | 4.7% | -4.8% |
| 2007 | 4.3% | -7.4% |
| 2008 | 4.0% | -7.8% |
| 2009 | 3.8% | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | -7.5% |
| 2011 | 3.6% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 3.6% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 3.6% | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 3.5% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 3.3% | -4.2% |
| 2016 | 3.2% | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 3.2% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 3.0% | -6.1% |
| 2019 | 2.8% | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 2.8% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 2.6% | -6.4% |
| 2022 | 2.7% | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 2.5% | -7.2% |
| 2024 | 2.3% | -7.2% |
| 2025 | 2.2% | -4.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.0% | 3.8% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.3% | 2.8% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 143 Switzerland 2.4% compare
- 144 Cape Verde 2.3% compare
- 145 Brazil 2.2% compare
- 147 Gambia 2.2% compare
- 148 Kazakhstan 2.1% compare
- 149 Nicaragua 2.0% 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 military spending as a share of government spending in South Africa?
- Military spending as a share of government spending in South Africa was 2.2% in 2025, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending as a share of government spending recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 6.2% in 2002.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of government spending recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 2025.
- How does South Africa rank for military spending as a share of government spending?
- South Africa ranks 146th out of 162 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending as a share of government spending rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending as a share of government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total military expenditure divided by government spending.