Military spending as a share of GDP in South Africa
South Africa: Military spending as a share of GDP was 0.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.7%
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
142nd
of 166 countries
All-time high
5.3%
in 1977
All-time low
0.7%
in 2025
Years of data
75
1951–2025
Military spending as a share of GDP in South Africa, 1951–2025
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending as a share of gdp in South Africa is 0.7%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
The figure is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 26.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of gdp in South Africa peaked at 5.3% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 2025.
South Africa ranks 142nd of 166 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending as a share of GDP in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 1.6% | — |
| 1952 | 1.7% | +7.3% |
| 1953 | 1.4% | -22.3% |
| 1954 | 1.2% | -11.1% |
| 1955 | 1.2% | +1.1% |
| 1956 | 1.3% | +6.3% |
| 1957 | 1.3% | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 1.0% | -24.6% |
| 1959 | 0.9% | -10.2% |
| 1960 | 1.0% | +8.0% |
| 1961 | 1.5% | +54.4% |
| 1962 | 2.3% | +53.6% |
| 1963 | 2.1% | -8.4% |
| 1964 | 2.7% | +30.6% |
| 1965 | 2.6% | -2.4% |
| 1966 | 2.7% | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 2.8% | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 2.8% | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 2.6% | -5.5% |
| 1970 | 2.3% | -10.5% |
| 1971 | 2.5% | +5.3% |
| 1972 | 2.4% | -3.5% |
| 1973 | 2.6% | +11.6% |
| 1974 | 3.1% | +16.6% |
| 1975 | 3.9% | +25.6% |
| 1976 | 4.7% | +22.0% |
| 1977 | 5.3% | +11.3% |
| 1978 | 4.6% | -13.3% |
| 1979 | 3.9% | -15.3% |
| 1980 | 3.3% | -14.5% |
| 1981 | 3.6% | +10.1% |
| 1982 | 3.6% | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 3.6% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 3.7% | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 3.7% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 3.8% | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 4.2% | +9.7% |
| 1988 | 4.6% | +10.3% |
| 1989 | 4.4% | -5.8% |
| 1990 | 3.9% | -10.6% |
| 1991 | 3.2% | -17.3% |
| 1992 | 2.8% | -12.6% |
| 1993 | 2.5% | -11.4% |
| 1994 | 2.6% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 2.1% | -17.3% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | -17.1% |
| 1997 | 1.6% | -9.9% |
| 1998 | 1.4% | -12.6% |
| 1999 | 1.3% | -8.0% |
| 2000 | 1.4% | +9.1% |
| 2001 | 1.5% | +6.9% |
| 2002 | 1.5% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 1.5% | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | -7.7% |
| 2005 | 1.2% | -8.9% |
| 2006 | 1.2% | -6.6% |
| 2007 | 1.1% | -8.3% |
| 2008 | 1.0% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | +4.8% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | -7.9% |
| 2011 | 1.0% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 1.0% | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 1.0% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 1.0% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 1.0% | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 0.9% | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 0.9% | -5.2% |
| 2019 | 0.9% | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 1.0% | +8.4% |
| 2021 | 0.8% | -11.7% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 0.8% | -5.5% |
| 2024 | 0.8% | -5.7% |
| 2025 | 0.7% | -2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.3% | 0.9% | 1.7% | 9 |
| 1960s | 2.3% | 1.0% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.5% | 2.3% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.9% | 3.3% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.3% | 1.3% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 139 Dominican Republic 0.8% compare
- 140 Côte d'Ivoire 0.8% compare
- 141 Switzerland 0.8% compare
- 143 Mexico 0.7% compare
- 144 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.7% compare
- 145 Cape Verde 0.7% compare
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.4836 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 5,013 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 7.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.986 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per capita 6,505 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), annual growth rate 4.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP 17.64 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per capita 116,367 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 2.43 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending as a share of gdp in South Africa?
- Military spending as a share of gdp in South Africa was 0.7% 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 gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.3% in 1977.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 2025.
- How does South Africa rank for military spending as a share of gdp?
- South Africa ranks 142nd out of 166 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total military expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.