South Africa vs Switzerland: Armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force
South Africa
0.4%
in 2020
Switzerland
0.4%
in 2020
South Africa rank
134th
Switzerland rank
133rd
Armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force over time
- South Africa
- Switzerland
How they compare
Switzerland currently reports 0.4% against 0.4% in South Africa, a difference of 0.0%.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 31 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Switzerland ahead.
South Africa ranks 134th and Switzerland ranks 133rd of 171 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 1 and Switzerland in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Switzerland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.1% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.8% | 0.4% | Switzerland |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.1% | Switzerland |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.0% | Switzerland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force, South Africa or Switzerland?
- Switzerland, at 0.4% against 0.4% in South Africa as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force between South Africa and Switzerland?
- 0.0%, with Switzerland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Switzerland?
- 31 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2020.
- How do South Africa and Switzerland rank globally for armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force?
- South Africa ranks 134th and Switzerland ranks 133rd of 171 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if their training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.