South Africa Military Spending/Defense Budget 1960-2024

Military expenditures data from SIPRI are derived from the NATO definition, which includes all current and capital expenditures on the armed forces, including peacekeeping forces; defense ministries and other government agencies engaged in defense projects; paramilitary forces, if these are judged to be trained and equipped for military operations; and military space activities. Such expenditures include military and civil personnel, including retirement pensions of military personnel and social services for personnel; operation and maintenance; procurement; military research and development; and military aid (in the military expenditures of the donor country).
  • South Africa military spending/defense budget for 2022 was $3.00B, a 11.74% decline from 2021.
  • South Africa military spending/defense budget for 2021 was $3.39B, a 5.04% increase from 2020.
  • South Africa military spending/defense budget for 2020 was $3.23B, a 5.95% decline from 2019.
  • South Africa military spending/defense budget for 2019 was $3.44B, a 5.18% decline from 2018.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name Billions of US $
China $291.96B
Russia $86.37B
Brazil $20.21B
Turkey $10.64B
Colombia $9.94B
Algeria $9.15B
Mexico $8.54B
Iran $6.85B
Thailand $5.72B
Romania $5.19B
Lebanon $4.74B
Iraq $4.68B
Malaysia $3.67B
South Africa $3.00B
Azerbaijan $2.99B
Peru $2.85B
Ecuador $2.49B
Jordan $2.32B
Serbia $1.43B
Bulgaria $1.34B
Kazakhstan $1.13B
Belarus $0.82B
Armenia $0.80B
Dominican Republic $0.76B
Botswana $0.49B
Guatemala $0.43B
Namibia $0.37B
Paraguay $0.37B
Albania $0.29B
Gabon $0.28B
North Macedonia $0.22B
Jamaica $0.22B
Bosnia $0.18B
Equatorial Guinea $0.16B
Montenegro $0.10B
Guyana $0.08B
Fiji $0.07B
Belize $0.02B
Mauritius $0.02B
Venezuela $0.00B
Tuvalu $0.00B
American Samoa $0.00B
Marshall Islands $0.00B
Tonga $0.00B
Maldives $0.00B
Nauru $0.00B
Turkmenistan $0.00B
St. Lucia $0.00B
Dominica $0.00B
Libya $0.00B
Suriname $0.00B
Samoa $0.00B
Cuba $0.00B
Grenada $0.00B
Costa Rica $0.00B
St. Vincent and the Grenadines $0.00B
South Africa Military Spending/Defense Budget - Historical Data
Year Billions of US $ % of GDP
2022 $3.00B 0.74%
2021 $3.39B 0.81%
2020 $3.23B 0.96%
2019 $3.44B 0.88%
2018 $3.62B 0.90%
2017 $3.59B 0.94%
2016 $3.14B 0.97%
2015 $3.49B 1.01%
2014 $3.89B 1.02%
2013 $4.12B 1.03%
2012 $4.49B 1.03%
2011 $4.59B 1.00%
2010 $4.19B 1.00%
2009 $3.59B 1.09%
2008 $3.29B 1.04%
2007 $3.53B 1.06%
2006 $3.51B 1.15%
2005 $3.57B 1.23%
2004 $3.10B 1.36%
2003 $2.57B 1.47%
2002 $1.77B 1.53%
2001 $1.80B 1.48%
2000 $1.89B 1.39%
1999 $1.74B 1.27%
1998 $1.91B 1.38%
1997 $2.41B 1.58%
1996 $2.59B 1.76%
1995 $3.29B 2.12%
1994 $3.48B 2.56%
1993 $3.25B 2.50%
1992 $3.68B 2.82%
1991 $3.87B 3.22%
1990 $4.36B 3.89%
1989 $4.18B 4.35%
1988 $4.26B 4.62%
1987 $3.60B 4.19%
1986 $2.50B 3.82%
1985 $2.12B 3.70%
1984 $2.77B 3.70%
1983 $3.05B 3.60%
1982 $2.74B 3.61%
1981 $3.01B 3.64%
1980 $2.66B 3.30%
1979 $2.16B 3.86%
1978 $2.07B 4.56%
1977 $2.07B 5.26%
1976 $1.68B 4.73%
1975 $1.43B 3.88%
1974 $1.10B 3.09%
1973 $0.75B 2.65%
1972 $0.49B 2.37%
1971 $0.49B 2.46%
1970 $0.42B 2.33%
1969 $0.43B 2.61%
1968 $0.40B 2.76%
1967 $0.37B 2.79%
1966 $0.32B 2.70%
1965 $0.29B 2.63%
1964 $0.27B 2.70%
1963 $0.19B 2.06%
1962 $0.19B 2.25%
1961 $0.11B 1.47%
1960 $0.07B 0.95%