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Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — South Africa

Armed forces as a share of the population in South Africa in 2022 — 0.119%. Ranked 135 in the world out of 189. Since 1923, the indicator has risen by 0.091 pp.

2022 0.119% −0.002 pp vs 2021
World rank 135of 189
Period maximum 1.285%1943
Period minimum 0.012%1930

Trend over time

1923–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — South Africa, 1923–202200.511.5192319331943195319631973198319932003201320221923: 0.027%1926: 0.026%1928: 0.024%1930: 0.012%1932: 0.022%1934: 0.032%1936: 0.042%1938: 0.04%1941: 1.139%1944: 1.263%1947: 0.257%1949: 0.074%1951: 0.081%1953: 0.098%1955: 0.107%1957: 0.122%1959: 0.128%1961: 0.137%1963: 0.243%1965: 0.281%1967: 0.241%1969: 0.251%1971: 0.26%1973: 0.164%1975: 0.195%1977: 0.248%1979: 0.246%1981: 0.261%1983: 0.245%1985: 0.288%1987: 0.295%1989: 0.276%1991: 0.21%1993: 0.189%1995: 0.182%1997: 0.173%1999: 0.17%2001: 0.138%2003: 0.119%2005: 0.116%2007: 0.125%2009: 0.122%2011: 0.119%2013: 0.115%2015: 0.112%2017: 0.116%2019: 0.109%2021: 0.12%2022: 0.119%
Change over the period: +0.091 pp Annual average: 0 pp

Comparison, 2022

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South Africa

South Africa 0.119%
World computed 0.259%
Sub-Saharan Africa computed 0.161%
Southern Africa computed 0.136%
Upper-middle-income countries computed 0.194%
Armed forces as a share of the population — South Africa, by year South Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.119 −0.002 pp
2021 0.12 −0.004 pp
2020 0.124 +0.015 pp
2019 0.109 −0.004 pp
2018 0.113 −0.004 pp
2017 0.116 −0.003 pp
2016 0.12 +0.007 pp
2015 0.112 −0.002 pp
2014 0.114 −0.002 pp
2013 0.115 −0.003 pp
2012 0.118 −0.001 pp
2011 0.119 −0.001 pp
2010 0.121 −0.001 pp
2009 0.122 −0.002 pp
2008 0.123 −0.002 pp
2007 0.125 +0.011 pp
2006 0.114 −0.002 pp
2005 0.116 −0.002 pp
2004 0.118 −0.002 pp
2003 0.119 −0.01 pp
2002 0.13 −0.008 pp
2001 0.138 −0.018 pp
2000 0.156 −0.014 pp
1999 0.17 −0.02 pp
1998 0.191 +0.017 pp
1997 0.173 −0.004 pp
1996 0.177 −0.005 pp
1995 0.182 −0.004 pp
1994 0.185 −0.004 pp
1993 0.189 −0.004 pp
1992 0.193 −0.017 pp
1991 0.21 −0.019 pp
1990 0.229 −0.047 pp
1989 0.276 −0.006 pp
1988 0.282 −0.012 pp
1987 0.295 +0.029 pp
1986 0.266 −0.021 pp
1985 0.288 −0.013 pp
1984 0.301 +0.056 pp
1983 0.245 −0.009 pp
1982 0.254 −0.007 pp
1981 0.261 +0.021 pp
1980 0.24 −0.006 pp
1979 0.246 −0.035 pp
1978 0.281 +0.033 pp
1977 0.248 +0.024 pp
1976 0.224 +0.029 pp
1975 0.195 +0.015 pp
1974 0.18 +0.016 pp
1973 0.164 −0.152 pp
1972 0.317 +0.056 pp
1971 0.26 +0.082 pp
1970 0.178 −0.073 pp
1969 0.251 −0.007 pp
1968 0.258 +0.017 pp
1967 0.241 −0.007 pp
1966 0.248 −0.033 pp
1965 0.281 +0.018 pp
1964 0.262 +0.019 pp
1963 0.243 +0.11 pp
1962 0.133 −0.004 pp
1961 0.137 +0.008 pp
1960 0.128 +0 pp
1959 0.128 +0.003 pp
1958 0.125 +0.003 pp
1957 0.122 +0.01 pp
1956 0.111 +0.004 pp
1955 0.107 +0.004 pp
1954 0.103 +0.005 pp
1953 0.098 +0.005 pp
1952 0.093 +0.013 pp
1951 0.081 +0.006 pp
1950 0.075 +0.001 pp
1949 0.074 −0.01 pp
1948 0.084 −0.173 pp
1947 0.257 −0.093 pp
1946 0.349 —
1944 1.263 −0.021 pp
1943 1.285 —
1941 1.139 —
1939 0.049 +0.009 pp
1938 0.04 −0.001 pp
1937 0.041 −0.001 pp
1936 0.042 −0.001 pp
1935 0.042 +0.01 pp
1934 0.032 +0.01 pp
1933 0.022 −0 pp
1932 0.022 −0 pp
1931 0.023 +0.011 pp
1930 0.012 −0.012 pp
1929 0.024 −0.001 pp
1928 0.024 −0.001 pp
1927 0.025 −0.001 pp
1926 0.026 −0.001 pp
1925 0.026 —
1923 0.027 —

Southern Africa, 2022

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

BW Botswana 0.369 NA Namibia 0.346 ZA South Africa 0.119 LS Lesotho 0.087
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

Military personnel on active duty as a percent of the entire population of the country. The indicator answers the question of how large the armed forces are relative to the size of the country — an army that is large in absolute numbers in a large country can come out smaller by this measure than the small army of a small state.

Important: A close indicator — the share of the labor force — answers a different question: what part of those able to work is occupied in the army instead of the economy. In countries with young populations the two diverge noticeably.

Source: Military Expenditure Database (SIPRI), license SIPRI terms of use.

Other indicators for South Africa

Defense Armed forces personnel since 1816

A long historical series on the personnel of armies — since 1816, that is, over two centuries.

South Africa by year Defense Armed forces as a share of the labor force

What part of a country’s labor force serves in the army instead of working in the economy.

South Africa by year Defense Armed forces personnel

The number of active-duty military personnel and paramilitary forces.

South Africa by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

South Africa by year Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

South Africa by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

South Africa by year
All indicators for South Africa