Military spending gmsd in South Africa
South Africa: Military spending gmsd was 3.63 billion in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
3.63 billion
Change on year
down 8.6%
World rank
58th
of 172 countries
All-time high
7.39 billion
in 1989
All-time low
58.18 million
in 1920
Years of data
104
1920–2023
Military spending gmsd in South Africa, 1920–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 3.63 billion for military spending gmsd in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.6% on the previous year and down 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending gmsd in South Africa peaked at 7.39 billion in 1989 and was at its lowest, 58.18 million, in 1920.
South Africa ranks 58th of 172 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 spending gmsd in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 58.18 million | — |
| 1921 | 74.77 million | +28.5% |
| 1922 | 64.77 million | -13.4% |
| 1923 | 66.23 million | +2.3% |
| 1924 | 63.74 million | -3.8% |
| 1925 | 70.17 million | +10.1% |
| 1926 | 71.36 million | +1.7% |
| 1927 | 75.53 million | +5.8% |
| 1928 | 73.70 million | -2.4% |
| 1929 | 67.98 million | -7.8% |
| 1930 | 65.91 million | -3.0% |
| 1931 | 61.60 million | -6.5% |
| 1932 | 65.75 million | +6.7% |
| 1933 | 71.72 million | +9.1% |
| 1934 | 107.45 million | +49.8% |
| 1935 | 124.80 million | +16.1% |
| 1936 | 142.04 million | +13.8% |
| 1937 | 166.85 million | +17.5% |
| 1938 | 216.49 million | +29.7% |
| 1939 | 132.32 million | -38.9% |
| 1940 | 449.23 million | +239.5% |
| 1941 | 1.69 billion | +275.6% |
| 1942 | 4.14 billion | +145.1% |
| 1943 | 2.68 billion | -35.1% |
| 1944 | 2.59 billion | -3.4% |
| 1945 | 1.91 billion | -26.5% |
| 1946 | 1.22 billion | -36.1% |
| 1947 | 885.42 million | -27.2% |
| 1948 | 711.26 million | -19.7% |
| 1949 | 824.52 million | +15.9% |
| 1950 | 431.81 million | -47.6% |
| 1951 | 463.75 million | +7.4% |
| 1952 | 561.40 million | +21.1% |
| 1953 | 561.99 million | +0.1% |
| 1954 | 523.64 million | -6.8% |
| 1955 | 509.83 million | -2.6% |
| 1956 | 576.33 million | +13.0% |
| 1957 | 617.14 million | +7.1% |
| 1958 | 576.93 million | -6.5% |
| 1959 | 452.93 million | -21.5% |
| 1960 | 493.96 million | +9.1% |
| 1961 | 713.53 million | +44.5% |
| 1962 | 1.13 billion | +58.2% |
| 1963 | 1.31 billion | +16.3% |
| 1964 | 1.68 billion | +28.0% |
| 1965 | 1.87 billion | +11.5% |
| 1966 | 2.06 billion | +9.8% |
| 1967 | 2.31 billion | +12.2% |
| 1968 | 2.36 billion | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 2.36 billion | -0.0% |
| 1970 | 2.44 billion | +3.6% |
| 1971 | 2.68 billion | +9.8% |
| 1972 | 2.63 billion | -1.9% |
| 1973 | 3.43 billion | +30.6% |
| 1974 | 4.06 billion | +18.3% |
| 1975 | 5.28 billion | +30.0% |
| 1976 | 6.31 billion | +19.5% |
| 1977 | 6.70 billion | +6.2% |
| 1978 | 6.51 billion | -2.8% |
| 1979 | 6.39 billion | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 6.57 billion | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 6.58 billion | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 6.81 billion | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 6.94 billion | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 6.35 billion | -8.5% |
| 1985 | 5.92 billion | -6.8% |
| 1986 | 5.90 billion | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 7.01 billion | +18.9% |
| 1988 | 7.18 billion | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 7.39 billion | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 6.98 billion | -5.6% |
| 1991 | 6.54 billion | -6.3% |
| 1992 | 6.03 billion | -7.7% |
| 1993 | 5.62 billion | -6.9% |
| 1994 | 5.36 billion | -4.5% |
| 1995 | 4.95 billion | -7.6% |
| 1996 | 4.08 billion | -17.6% |
| 1997 | 3.78 billion | -7.5% |
| 1998 | 3.37 billion | -10.7% |
| 1999 | 3.05 billion | -9.6% |
| 2000 | 3.02 billion | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 3.01 billion | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 3.17 billion | +5.4% |
| 2003 | 3.68 billion | +16.2% |
| 2004 | 4.43 billion | +20.5% |
| 2005 | 4.57 billion | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 4.60 billion | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 4.50 billion | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 4.35 billion | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 4.85 billion | +11.3% |
| 2010 | 5.11 billion | +5.5% |
| 2011 | 5.58 billion | +9.2% |
| 2012 | 5.40 billion | -3.3% |
| 2013 | 4.85 billion | -10.2% |
| 2014 | 4.62 billion | -4.7% |
| 2015 | 4.17 billion | -9.6% |
| 2016 | 4.07 billion | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 4.27 billion | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 4.58 billion | +7.2% |
| 2019 | 4.53 billion | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 4.39 billion | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 4.10 billion | -6.5% |
| 2022 | 3.97 billion | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 3.63 billion | -8.6% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 3.63 billion is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.25 billion, 2.9× the median. (49 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 3.63 billion is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 350.64 million, 10.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending gmsd 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 | +275.6% | 449.23 million | 1.69 billion |
| 1940 | +239.5% | 132.32 million | 449.23 million |
| 1942 | +145.1% | 1.69 billion | 4.14 billion |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 68.64 million | 58.18 million | 75.53 million | 10 |
| 1930s | 115.49 million | 61.60 million | 216.49 million | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.71 billion | 449.23 million | 4.14 billion | 10 |
| 1950s | 527.57 million | 431.81 million | 617.14 million | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.63 billion | 493.96 million | 2.36 billion | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.64 billion | 2.44 billion | 6.70 billion | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.66 billion | 5.90 billion | 7.39 billion | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.98 billion | 3.05 billion | 6.98 billion | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.02 billion | 3.01 billion | 4.85 billion | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.72 billion | 4.07 billion | 5.58 billion | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.02 billion | 3.63 billion | 4.39 billion | 4 |
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 spending gmsd in South Africa?
- Military spending gmsd in South Africa was 3.63 billion in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending gmsd recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 7.39 billion in 1989.
- What is the lowest military spending gmsd recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.18 million in 1920.
- How does South Africa rank for military spending gmsd?
- South Africa ranks 58th out of 172 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending gmsd rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.1%. 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 Military spending gmsd. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 104 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).