Military personnel in South Africa
South Africa: Military personnel was 74,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
74,000 people
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
51st
of 194 countries
All-time high
140,000 people
in 1943
All-time low
1,000 people
in 1930
Years of data
96
1923–2022
Military personnel in South Africa, 1923–2022
Source: Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 74,000 people for military personnel in 2022.
The figure is up 19.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in South Africa peaked at 140,000 people in 1943 and was at its lowest, 1,000 people, in 1930.
South Africa ranks 51st of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1923 | 2,000 people | — |
| 1925 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 1,000 people | -50.0% |
| 1931 | 2,000 people | +100.0% |
| 1932 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 3,000 people | +50.0% |
| 1935 | 4,000 people | +33.3% |
| 1936 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 5,000 people | +25.0% |
| 1941 | 120,000 people | +2300.0% |
| 1943 | 140,000 people | +16.7% |
| 1944 | 140,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 40,000 people | -71.4% |
| 1947 | 30,000 people | -25.0% |
| 1948 | 10,000 people | -66.7% |
| 1949 | 9,000 people | -10.0% |
| 1950 | 10,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1951 | 11,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1952 | 13,000 people | +18.2% |
| 1953 | 14,000 people | +7.7% |
| 1954 | 15,000 people | +7.1% |
| 1955 | 16,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1956 | 17,000 people | +6.2% |
| 1957 | 19,000 people | +11.8% |
| 1958 | 20,000 people | +5.3% |
| 1959 | 21,000 people | +5.0% |
| 1960 | 22,000 people | +4.8% |
| 1961 | 24,000 people | +9.1% |
| 1962 | 24,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 45,000 people | +87.5% |
| 1964 | 50,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1965 | 55,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1966 | 50,000 people | -9.1% |
| 1967 | 50,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 55,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1969 | 55,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 40,000 people | -27.3% |
| 1971 | 60,000 people | +50.0% |
| 1972 | 75,000 people | +25.0% |
| 1973 | 40,000 people | -46.7% |
| 1974 | 45,000 people | +12.5% |
| 1975 | 50,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1976 | 59,000 people | +18.0% |
| 1977 | 67,000 people | +13.6% |
| 1978 | 78,000 people | +16.4% |
| 1979 | 70,000 people | -10.3% |
| 1980 | 70,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 78,000 people | +11.4% |
| 1982 | 78,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 77,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 97,000 people | +26.0% |
| 1985 | 95,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1986 | 90,000 people | -5.3% |
| 1987 | 102,000 people | +13.3% |
| 1988 | 100,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 85,000 people | -15.0% |
| 1991 | 80,000 people | -5.9% |
| 1992 | 75,000 people | -6.2% |
| 1993 | 75,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 75,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 75,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 75,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 75,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 75,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 68,000 people | -9.3% |
| 2000 | 63,000 people | -7.4% |
| 2001 | 62,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 60,000 people | -3.2% |
| 2003 | 56,000 people | -6.7% |
| 2004 | 56,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 56,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 56,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 62,000 people | +10.7% |
| 2008 | 62,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 62,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 62,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 62,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 62,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 62,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 62,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 62,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 67,000 people | +8.1% |
| 2017 | 67,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 66,000 people | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 65,000 people | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 75,000 people | +15.4% |
| 2021 | 74,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 74,000 people | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 74,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23,000 people, 3.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 74,000 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14,000 people, 5.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | +2300.0% | 5,000 people | 120,000 people |
| 1931 | +100.0% | 1,000 people | 2,000 people |
| 1963 | +87.5% | 24,000 people | 45,000 people |
| 1946 | -71.4% | 140,000 people | 40,000 people |
| 1948 | -66.7% | 30,000 people | 10,000 people |
| 1930 | -50.0% | 2,000 people | 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 2,000 people | 2,000 people | 2,000 people | 6 |
| 1930s | 3,100 people | 1,000 people | 5,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 69,857 people | 9,000 people | 140,000 people | 7 |
| 1950s | 15,600 people | 10,000 people | 21,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 43,000 people | 22,000 people | 55,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 58,400 people | 40,000 people | 78,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 88,700 people | 70,000 people | 102,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 75,800 people | 68,000 people | 85,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 59,500 people | 56,000 people | 63,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 63,700 people | 62,000 people | 67,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 74,333 people | 74,000 people | 75,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 personnel in South Africa?
- Military personnel in South Africa was 74,000 people in 2022, according to Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 140,000 people in 1943.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,000 people in 1930.
- How does South Africa rank for military personnel?
- South Africa ranks 51st out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 96 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Troops under the command of the national government, intended for use against foreign adversaries, and held ready for combat as of January 1 of the given year.