Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — Southern Africa

Armed forces as a share of the population in Southern Africa in 2022 — 0.136%. Since 1966, the indicator has fallen by 0.095 pp.

2022 0.136% −0.002 pp vs 2021
World rank
Period maximum 0.297%1984
Period minimum 0.129%2019

Trend over time

1966–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — Southern Africa, 1966–20220.10.150.20.250.319661972197819841990199620022008201420201966: 0.231%1967: 0.225%1968: 0.236%1969: 0.23%1970: 0.163%1971: 0.238%1972: 0.29%1973: 0.15%1974: 0.176%1975: 0.189%1976: 0.219%1977: 0.24%1978: 0.27%1979: 0.241%1980: 0.238%1981: 0.259%1982: 0.253%1983: 0.246%1984: 0.297%1985: 0.284%1986: 0.266%1987: 0.291%1988: 0.28%1989: 0.281%1990: 0.249%1991: 0.229%1992: 0.214%1993: 0.209%1994: 0.205%1995: 0.201%1996: 0.196%1997: 0.194%1998: 0.199%1999: 0.181%2000: 0.179%2001: 0.163%2002: 0.153%2003: 0.143%2004: 0.141%2005: 0.139%2006: 0.138%2007: 0.147%2008: 0.145%2009: 0.144%2010: 0.142%2011: 0.141%2012: 0.139%2013: 0.135%2014: 0.133%2015: 0.131%2016: 0.138%2017: 0.135%2018: 0.132%2019: 0.129%2020: 0.141%2021: 0.138%2022: 0.136%
Change over the period: −0.095 pp Annual average: 0 pp

Comparison, 2022

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

Southern Africa 0.136%
World computed 0.259%
Armed forces as a share of the population — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.136 −0.002 pp
2021 0.138 −0.004 pp
2020 0.141 +0.013 pp
2019 0.129 −0.004 pp
2018 0.132 −0.002 pp
2017 0.135 −0.003 pp
2016 0.138 +0.006 pp
2015 0.131 −0.002 pp
2014 0.133 −0.002 pp
2013 0.135 −0.004 pp
2012 0.139 −0.001 pp
2011 0.141 −0.001 pp
2010 0.142 −0.001 pp
2009 0.144 −0.002 pp
2008 0.145 −0.002 pp
2007 0.147 +0.009 pp
2006 0.138 −0.002 pp
2005 0.139 −0.002 pp
2004 0.141 −0.002 pp
2003 0.143 −0.01 pp
2002 0.153 −0.01 pp
2001 0.163 −0.016 pp
2000 0.179 −0.002 pp
1999 0.181 −0.018 pp
1998 0.199 +0.005 pp
1997 0.194 −0.002 pp
1996 0.196 −0.005 pp
1995 0.201 −0.004 pp
1994 0.205 −0.004 pp
1993 0.209 −0.004 pp
1992 0.214 −0.016 pp
1991 0.229 −0.02 pp
1990 0.249 −0.031 pp
1989 0.281 +0.001 pp
1988 0.28 −0.012 pp
1987 0.291 +0.025 pp
1986 0.266 −0.018 pp
1985 0.284 −0.013 pp
1984 0.297 +0.05 pp
1983 0.246 −0.006 pp
1982 0.253 −0.007 pp
1981 0.259 +0.021 pp
1980 0.238 −0.003 pp
1979 0.241 −0.029 pp
1978 0.27 +0.03 pp
1977 0.24 +0.021 pp
1976 0.219 +0.03 pp
1975 0.189 +0.013 pp
1974 0.176 +0.025 pp
1973 0.15 −0.14 pp
1972 0.29 +0.052 pp
1971 0.238 +0.075 pp
1970 0.163 −0.067 pp
1969 0.23 −0.006 pp
1968 0.236 +0.012 pp
1967 0.225 −0.006 pp
1966 0.231

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.