Military spending, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Military spending, per capita was 57.48 constant 2022 US$ per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
57.48 constant 2022 US$ per person
Change on year
down 9.8%
World rank
110th
of 171 countries
All-time high
247.01 constant 2022 US$ per person
in 1977
All-time low
30.05 constant 2022 US$ per person
in 1960
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Military spending, per capita in South Africa, 1960–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2022 US$ per person.
Analysis
In 2023, military spending, per capita in South Africa stood at 57.48 constant 2022 US$ per person.
That represents a change of down 9.8% on the previous year and down 35.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per capita in South Africa peaked at 247.01 constant 2022 US$ per person in 1977 and was at its lowest, 30.05 constant 2022 US$ per person, in 1960.
South Africa ranks 110th of 171 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Military spending, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 30.05 constant 2022 US$ per person | — |
| 1961 | 42.2 constant 2022 US$ per person | +40.5% |
| 1962 | 64.79 constant 2022 US$ per person | +53.5% |
| 1963 | 73.1 constant 2022 US$ per person | +12.8% |
| 1964 | 90.74 constant 2022 US$ per person | +24.1% |
| 1965 | 98.09 constant 2022 US$ per person | +8.1% |
| 1966 | 104.39 constant 2022 US$ per person | +6.4% |
| 1967 | 113.56 constant 2022 US$ per person | +8.8% |
| 1968 | 112.49 constant 2022 US$ per person | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 109.06 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.1% |
| 1970 | 109.6 constant 2022 US$ per person | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 116.87 constant 2022 US$ per person | +6.6% |
| 1972 | 111.36 constant 2022 US$ per person | -4.7% |
| 1973 | 141.29 constant 2022 US$ per person | +26.9% |
| 1974 | 162.49 constant 2022 US$ per person | +15.0% |
| 1975 | 205.53 constant 2022 US$ per person | +26.5% |
| 1976 | 239.07 constant 2022 US$ per person | +16.3% |
| 1977 | 247.01 constant 2022 US$ per person | +3.3% |
| 1978 | 233.62 constant 2022 US$ per person | -5.4% |
| 1979 | 223.12 constant 2022 US$ per person | -4.5% |
| 1980 | 222.45 constant 2022 US$ per person | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 215.57 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.1% |
| 1982 | 215.35 constant 2022 US$ per person | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 211.99 constant 2022 US$ per person | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 187.39 constant 2022 US$ per person | -11.6% |
| 1985 | 168.84 constant 2022 US$ per person | -9.9% |
| 1986 | 163 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.5% |
| 1987 | 187.81 constant 2022 US$ per person | +15.2% |
| 1988 | 186.66 constant 2022 US$ per person | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 186.53 constant 2022 US$ per person | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 171.3 constant 2022 US$ per person | -8.2% |
| 1991 | 156.84 constant 2022 US$ per person | -8.4% |
| 1992 | 142.13 constant 2022 US$ per person | -9.4% |
| 1993 | 129.75 constant 2022 US$ per person | -8.7% |
| 1994 | 121.89 constant 2022 US$ per person | -6.1% |
| 1995 | 111.22 constant 2022 US$ per person | -8.8% |
| 1996 | 90.51 constant 2022 US$ per person | -18.6% |
| 1997 | 82.76 constant 2022 US$ per person | -8.6% |
| 1998 | 73.01 constant 2022 US$ per person | -11.8% |
| 1999 | 65.29 constant 2022 US$ per person | -10.6% |
| 2000 | 64.11 constant 2022 US$ per person | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 63.18 constant 2022 US$ per person | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 65.94 constant 2022 US$ per person | +4.4% |
| 2003 | 75.87 constant 2022 US$ per person | +15.1% |
| 2004 | 90.52 constant 2022 US$ per person | +19.3% |
| 2005 | 92.27 constant 2022 US$ per person | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 92.03 constant 2022 US$ per person | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 88.98 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 85.18 constant 2022 US$ per person | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 93.69 constant 2022 US$ per person | +10.0% |
| 2010 | 97.7 constant 2022 US$ per person | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 105.34 constant 2022 US$ per person | +7.8% |
| 2012 | 100.33 constant 2022 US$ per person | -4.8% |
| 2013 | 88.66 constant 2022 US$ per person | -11.6% |
| 2014 | 83.09 constant 2022 US$ per person | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 73.58 constant 2022 US$ per person | -11.4% |
| 2016 | 71.09 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 74.06 constant 2022 US$ per person | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 78.09 constant 2022 US$ per person | +5.4% |
| 2019 | 76.03 constant 2022 US$ per person | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 72.44 constant 2022 US$ per person | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 66.69 constant 2022 US$ per person | -7.9% |
| 2022 | 63.69 constant 2022 US$ per person | -4.5% |
| 2023 | 57.48 constant 2022 US$ per person | -9.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 57.48 constant 2022 US$ per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 106.01 constant 2022 US$ per person, 54% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 57.48 constant 2022 US$ per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 20.8 constant 2022 US$ per person, 2.8× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 83.85 constant 2022 US$ per person | 30.05 constant 2022 US$ per person | 113.56 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 178.99 constant 2022 US$ per person | 109.6 constant 2022 US$ per person | 247.01 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 194.56 constant 2022 US$ per person | 163 constant 2022 US$ per person | 222.45 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 114.47 constant 2022 US$ per person | 65.29 constant 2022 US$ per person | 171.3 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 81.18 constant 2022 US$ per person | 63.18 constant 2022 US$ per person | 93.69 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 84.8 constant 2022 US$ per person | 71.09 constant 2022 US$ per person | 105.34 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.07 constant 2022 US$ per person | 57.48 constant 2022 US$ per person | 72.44 constant 2022 US$ per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 107 Mauritania 58.5 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 108 Bolivia 58.28 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 109 Congo 57.97 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 111 Philippines 55.1 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 112 Uzbekistan 55.02 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 113 Honduras 54.81 constant 2022 US$ per person 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, per capita in South Africa?
- Military spending, per capita in South Africa was 57.48 constant 2022 US$ per person in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 247.01 constant 2022 US$ per person in 1977.
- What is the lowest military spending, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.05 constant 2022 US$ per person in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for military spending, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 110th out of 171 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending, per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military spending, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Military spending divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military spending ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Military spending Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Military spending divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.