Military spending, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Military spending, per square kilometre was 2,995 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2,995 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre
Change on year
down 8.6%
World rank
111th
of 171 countries
All-time high
6,093 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre
in 1989
All-time low
588.2 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Military spending, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, military spending, per square kilometre in South Africa stood at 2,995 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre.
That represents a change of down 8.6% on the previous year and down 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 6,093 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre in 1989 and was at its lowest, 588.2 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 111th of 171 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Military spending, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 588.2 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 930.26 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +58.2% |
| 1963 | 1,082 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +16.3% |
| 1964 | 1,385 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +28.0% |
| 1965 | 1,544 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +11.5% |
| 1966 | 1,694 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +9.8% |
| 1967 | 1,902 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +12.2% |
| 1968 | 1,943 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 1,943 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1970 | 2,013 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1971 | 2,210 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +9.8% |
| 1972 | 2,167 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 1973 | 2,830 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +30.6% |
| 1974 | 3,347 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +18.3% |
| 1975 | 4,353 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +30.0% |
| 1976 | 5,202 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +19.5% |
| 1977 | 5,522 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1978 | 5,367 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -2.8% |
| 1979 | 5,266 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 5,413 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 5,427 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 5,612 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 5,721 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 5,236 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -8.5% |
| 1985 | 4,877 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -6.8% |
| 1986 | 4,862 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 5,779 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +18.9% |
| 1988 | 5,921 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 6,093 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 5,754 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -5.6% |
| 1991 | 5,390 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -6.3% |
| 1992 | 4,973 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -7.7% |
| 1993 | 4,631 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -6.9% |
| 1994 | 4,421 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -4.5% |
| 1995 | 4,084 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -7.6% |
| 1996 | 3,367 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -17.6% |
| 1997 | 3,116 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -7.5% |
| 1998 | 2,782 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -10.7% |
| 1999 | 2,515 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -9.6% |
| 2000 | 2,492 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 2,477 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 2,610 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2003 | 3,033 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +16.2% |
| 2004 | 3,656 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +20.5% |
| 2005 | 3,764 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 3,793 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 3,706 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 3,589 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 3,995 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +11.3% |
| 2010 | 4,216 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 2011 | 4,602 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +9.2% |
| 2012 | 4,448 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -3.3% |
| 2013 | 3,996 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -10.2% |
| 2014 | 3,808 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -4.7% |
| 2015 | 3,441 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -9.6% |
| 2016 | 3,356 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 3,519 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 3,773 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | +7.2% |
| 2019 | 3,735 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 3,617 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 3,381 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -6.5% |
| 2022 | 3,275 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 2,995 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | -8.6% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 2,995 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6,982 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre, 43% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 2,995 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,348 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre, 2.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending, per square kilometre 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +58.2% | 588.2 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 930.26 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1,446 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 588.2 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 1,943 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 3,828 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 2,013 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 5,522 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 5,494 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 4,862 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 6,093 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 4,103 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 2,515 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 5,754 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,312 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 2,477 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 3,995 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 3,889 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 3,356 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 4,602 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,317 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 2,995 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 3,617 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 108 Nepal 3,698 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre compare
- 109 Cape Verde 3,574 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre compare
- 110 Brazil 3,272 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre compare
- 112 Comoros 2,987 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre compare
- 113 Burkina Faso 2,901 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre compare
- 114 Peru 2,779 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre 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 square kilometre in South Africa?
- Military spending, per square kilometre in South Africa was 2,995 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 6,093 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre in 1989.
- What is the lowest military spending, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 588.2 constant 2022 US$ per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for military spending, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 111th out of 171 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending, per square kilometre 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 rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military spending, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Military spending divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military spending ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Military spending Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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 Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.