CONFLICTIQ
HEAD TO HEAD

Botswana vs South Africa

Botswana
11%
RAI
South Africa
89%

Verdict

South Africa holds a 89–11 advantage over Botswana on the Relative Advantage Index, a decisive margin.

The margin is driven by military spending (84% of the combined total, $3.2bn) and economic size (GDP) (95% of the combined total, $401bn).

1 factor — nuclear warheads — could not be scored because the figure is unpublished for at least one side. Those factors are excluded and the remaining weights renormalised, never substituted.

Factor by factor

FactorBotswanaShareSouth AfricaWeight
Military spending
SIPRI Milex
$614m
16%84%
$3.2bn33%
Economic size (GDP)
World Bank WDI
$19.4bn
5%95%
$401bn27%
Active personnel
COW NMC
9.0k
11%89%
74.0k20%
Logistics & power projection
OurAirports
7
9%91%
7020%

Shares are each side's portion of the combined total for that factor. Weights are renormalised across the factors both sides publish — see the methodology. Data read 2026-08-04.

Full Botswana dossier →Full South Africa dossier →Run a war game →

Related comparisons

Botswana vs NamibiaBotswana vs ZambiaBotswana vs ZimbabweEswatini vs South AfricaLesotho vs South Africa

Major-power matchups (435)

Every combination inside the top 30 of the Composite Power Index.

Australia v BrazilAustralia v CanadaAustralia v ChinaAustralia v ColombiaAustralia v EgyptAustralia v EthiopiaAustralia v FranceAustralia v GermanyAustralia v IndiaAustralia v IndonesiaAustralia v IranAustralia v ItalyAustralia v JapanAustralia v MexicoAustralia v MyanmarAustralia v North KoreaAustralia v PakistanAustralia v PhilippinesAustralia v PolandAustralia v RussiaAustralia v Saudi ArabiaAustralia v South KoreaAustralia v SpainAustralia v ThailandAustralia v TürkiyeAustralia v UkraineAustralia v United KingdomAustralia v United StatesAustralia v VietnamBrazil v CanadaBrazil v ChinaBrazil v ColombiaBrazil v EgyptBrazil v EthiopiaBrazil v FranceBrazil v GermanyBrazil v IndiaBrazil v IndonesiaBrazil v IranBrazil v ItalyBrazil v JapanBrazil v MexicoBrazil v MyanmarBrazil v North KoreaBrazil v PakistanBrazil v PhilippinesBrazil v PolandBrazil v RussiaBrazil v Saudi ArabiaBrazil v South KoreaBrazil v SpainBrazil v ThailandBrazil v TürkiyeBrazil v UkraineBrazil v United KingdomBrazil v United StatesBrazil v VietnamCanada v ChinaCanada v ColombiaCanada v EgyptCanada v EthiopiaCanada v FranceCanada v GermanyCanada v IndiaCanada v IndonesiaCanada v IranCanada v ItalyCanada v JapanCanada v MexicoCanada v MyanmarCanada v North KoreaCanada v PakistanCanada v PhilippinesCanada v PolandCanada v RussiaCanada v Saudi ArabiaCanada v South KoreaCanada v SpainCanada v ThailandCanada v TürkiyeCanada v UkraineCanada v United KingdomCanada v United StatesCanada v VietnamChina v ColombiaChina v EgyptChina v EthiopiaChina v FranceChina v GermanyChina v IndiaChina v IndonesiaChina v IranChina v ItalyChina v JapanChina v MexicoChina v MyanmarChina v North KoreaChina v PakistanChina v PhilippinesChina v PolandChina v RussiaChina v Saudi ArabiaChina v South KoreaChina v SpainChina v ThailandChina v TürkiyeChina v UkraineChina v United KingdomChina v United StatesChina v VietnamColombia v EgyptColombia v EthiopiaColombia v FranceColombia v GermanyColombia v IndiaColombia v IndonesiaColombia v IranColombia v ItalyColombia v JapanColombia v MexicoColombia v MyanmarColombia v North KoreaColombia v PakistanColombia v PhilippinesColombia v PolandColombia v RussiaColombia v Saudi ArabiaColombia v South KoreaColombia v SpainColombia v ThailandColombia v TürkiyeColombia v UkraineColombia v United KingdomColombia v United StatesColombia v VietnamEgypt v EthiopiaEgypt v FranceEgypt v GermanyEgypt v IndiaEgypt v IndonesiaEgypt v IranEgypt v ItalyEgypt v JapanEgypt v MexicoEgypt v MyanmarEgypt v North KoreaEgypt v PakistanEgypt v PhilippinesEgypt v PolandEgypt v RussiaEgypt v Saudi ArabiaEgypt v South KoreaEgypt v SpainEgypt v ThailandEgypt v TürkiyeEgypt v UkraineEgypt v United KingdomEgypt v United StatesEgypt v VietnamEthiopia v FranceEthiopia v GermanyEthiopia v IndiaEthiopia v IndonesiaEthiopia v IranEthiopia v ItalyEthiopia v JapanEthiopia v MexicoEthiopia v MyanmarEthiopia v North KoreaEthiopia v PakistanEthiopia v PhilippinesEthiopia v PolandEthiopia v RussiaEthiopia v Saudi ArabiaEthiopia v South KoreaEthiopia v SpainEthiopia v ThailandEthiopia v TürkiyeEthiopia v UkraineEthiopia v United KingdomEthiopia v United StatesEthiopia v VietnamFrance v GermanyFrance v IndiaFrance v IndonesiaFrance v IranFrance v ItalyFrance v JapanFrance v MexicoFrance v MyanmarFrance v North KoreaFrance v PakistanFrance v PhilippinesFrance v PolandFrance v RussiaFrance v Saudi ArabiaFrance v South KoreaFrance v SpainFrance v ThailandFrance v TürkiyeFrance v UkraineFrance v United KingdomFrance v United StatesFrance v VietnamGermany v IndiaGermany v IndonesiaGermany v IranGermany v ItalyGermany v JapanGermany v MexicoGermany v MyanmarGermany v North KoreaGermany v PakistanGermany v PhilippinesGermany v PolandGermany v RussiaGermany v Saudi ArabiaGermany v South KoreaGermany v SpainGermany v ThailandGermany v TürkiyeGermany v UkraineGermany v United KingdomGermany v United StatesGermany v VietnamIndia v IndonesiaIndia v IranIndia v ItalyIndia v JapanIndia v MexicoIndia v MyanmarIndia v North KoreaIndia v PakistanIndia v PhilippinesIndia v PolandIndia v RussiaIndia v Saudi ArabiaIndia v South KoreaIndia v SpainIndia v ThailandIndia v TürkiyeIndia v UkraineIndia v United KingdomIndia v United StatesIndia v VietnamIndonesia v IranIndonesia v ItalyIndonesia v JapanIndonesia v MexicoIndonesia v MyanmarIndonesia v North KoreaIndonesia v PakistanIndonesia v PhilippinesIndonesia v PolandIndonesia v RussiaIndonesia v Saudi ArabiaIndonesia v South KoreaIndonesia v SpainIndonesia v ThailandIndonesia v TürkiyeIndonesia v UkraineIndonesia v United KingdomIndonesia v United StatesIndonesia v VietnamIran v ItalyIran v JapanIran v MexicoIran v MyanmarIran v North KoreaIran v PakistanIran v PhilippinesIran v PolandIran v RussiaIran v Saudi ArabiaIran v South KoreaIran v SpainIran v ThailandIran v TürkiyeIran v UkraineIran v United KingdomIran v United StatesIran v VietnamItaly v JapanItaly v MexicoItaly v MyanmarItaly v North KoreaItaly v PakistanItaly v PhilippinesItaly v PolandItaly v RussiaItaly v Saudi ArabiaItaly v South KoreaItaly v SpainItaly v ThailandItaly v TürkiyeItaly v UkraineItaly v United KingdomItaly v United StatesItaly v VietnamJapan v MexicoJapan v MyanmarJapan v North KoreaJapan v PakistanJapan v PhilippinesJapan v PolandJapan v RussiaJapan v Saudi ArabiaJapan v South KoreaJapan v SpainJapan v ThailandJapan v TürkiyeJapan v UkraineJapan v United KingdomJapan v United StatesJapan v VietnamMexico v MyanmarMexico v North KoreaMexico v PakistanMexico v PhilippinesMexico v PolandMexico v RussiaMexico v Saudi ArabiaMexico v South KoreaMexico v SpainMexico v ThailandMexico v TürkiyeMexico v UkraineMexico v United KingdomMexico v United StatesMexico v VietnamMyanmar v North KoreaMyanmar v PakistanMyanmar v PhilippinesMyanmar v PolandMyanmar v RussiaMyanmar v Saudi ArabiaMyanmar v South KoreaMyanmar v SpainMyanmar v ThailandMyanmar v TürkiyeMyanmar v UkraineMyanmar v United KingdomMyanmar v United StatesMyanmar v VietnamNorth Korea v PakistanNorth Korea v PhilippinesNorth Korea v PolandNorth Korea v RussiaNorth Korea v Saudi ArabiaNorth Korea v South KoreaNorth Korea v SpainNorth Korea v ThailandNorth Korea v TürkiyeNorth Korea v UkraineNorth Korea v United KingdomNorth Korea v United StatesNorth Korea v VietnamPakistan v PhilippinesPakistan v PolandPakistan v RussiaPakistan v Saudi ArabiaPakistan v South KoreaPakistan v SpainPakistan v ThailandPakistan v TürkiyePakistan v UkrainePakistan v United KingdomPakistan v United StatesPakistan v VietnamPhilippines v PolandPhilippines v RussiaPhilippines v Saudi ArabiaPhilippines v South KoreaPhilippines v SpainPhilippines v ThailandPhilippines v TürkiyePhilippines v UkrainePhilippines v United KingdomPhilippines v United StatesPhilippines v VietnamPoland v RussiaPoland v Saudi ArabiaPoland v South KoreaPoland v SpainPoland v ThailandPoland v TürkiyePoland v UkrainePoland v United KingdomPoland v United StatesPoland v VietnamRussia v Saudi ArabiaRussia v South KoreaRussia v SpainRussia v ThailandRussia v TürkiyeRussia v UkraineRussia v United KingdomRussia v United StatesRussia v VietnamSaudi Arabia v South KoreaSaudi Arabia v SpainSaudi Arabia v ThailandSaudi Arabia v TürkiyeSaudi Arabia v UkraineSaudi Arabia v United KingdomSaudi Arabia v United StatesSaudi Arabia v VietnamSouth Korea v SpainSouth Korea v ThailandSouth Korea v TürkiyeSouth Korea v UkraineSouth Korea v United KingdomSouth Korea v United StatesSouth Korea v VietnamSpain v ThailandSpain v TürkiyeSpain v UkraineSpain v United KingdomSpain v United StatesSpain v VietnamThailand v TürkiyeThailand v UkraineThailand v United KingdomThailand v United StatesThailand v VietnamTürkiye v UkraineTürkiye v United KingdomTürkiye v United StatesTürkiye v VietnamUkraine v United KingdomUkraine v United StatesUkraine v VietnamUnited Kingdom v United StatesUnited Kingdom v VietnamUnited States v Vietnam

Neighbour rivalries (473)

Bordering states — the comparisons people actually search for.

Afghanistan v ChinaAfghanistan v IranAfghanistan v PakistanAfghanistan v RussiaAfghanistan v TajikistanAfghanistan v TurkmenistanAfghanistan v UzbekistanAlbania v CroatiaAlbania v GreeceAlbania v ItalyAlbania v MaltaAlbania v MontenegroAlbania v North MacedoniaAlbania v SerbiaAlgeria v FranceAlgeria v ItalyAlgeria v LibyaAlgeria v MaliAlgeria v MauritaniaAlgeria v MoroccoAlgeria v NigerAlgeria v SpainAlgeria v TunisiaAndorra v FranceAndorra v SpainAngola v Congo RepublicAngola v DR CongoAngola v GabonAngola v NamibiaAngola v ZambiaAntigua and Barbuda v BarbadosAntigua and Barbuda v GrenadaAntigua and Barbuda v St. Kitts and NevisAntigua and Barbuda v St. LuciaAntigua and Barbuda v St. Vincent and the GrenadinesAntigua and Barbuda v VenezuelaArgentina v BoliviaArgentina v BrazilArgentina v ChileArgentina v ParaguayArgentina v UruguayArmenia v AzerbaijanArmenia v GeorgiaArmenia v IranArmenia v TürkiyeAustralia v Papua New GuineaAustralia v Timor-LesteAustria v CzechiaAustria v GermanyAustria v HungaryAustria v ItalyAustria v LiechtensteinAustria v SerbiaAustria v SlovakiaAustria v SloveniaAustria v SwitzerlandAzerbaijan v GeorgiaAzerbaijan v IranAzerbaijan v KazakhstanAzerbaijan v RussiaAzerbaijan v TürkiyeAzerbaijan v TurkmenistanBahamas v CubaBahamas v Dominican RepublicBahamas v HaitiBahamas v JamaicaBahamas v United StatesBahrain v IranBahrain v IraqBahrain v KuwaitBahrain v OmanBahrain v QatarBahrain v Saudi ArabiaBahrain v United Arab EmiratesBangladesh v IndiaBangladesh v MyanmarBarbados v DominicaBarbados v GrenadaBarbados v GuyanaBarbados v St. LuciaBarbados v St. Vincent and the GrenadinesBarbados v Trinidad and TobagoBarbados v VenezuelaBelarus v LatviaBelarus v LithuaniaBelarus v PolandBelarus v RussiaBelarus v UkraineBelgium v DenmarkBelgium v FranceBelgium v GermanyBelgium v LuxembourgBelgium v NetherlandsBelgium v United KingdomBelize v CubaBelize v GuatemalaBelize v HondurasBelize v MexicoBenin v Burkina FasoBenin v GhanaBenin v NigerBenin v NigeriaBenin v TogoBhutan v ChinaBhutan v IndiaBolivia v BrazilBolivia v ChileBolivia v ParaguayBolivia v PeruBosnia and Herzegovina v CroatiaBosnia and Herzegovina v MontenegroBosnia and Herzegovina v SerbiaBotswana v NamibiaBotswana v South AfricaBotswana v ZambiaBotswana v ZimbabweBrazil v EcuadorBrazil v GuyanaBrazil v ParaguayBrazil v PeruBrazil v SurinameBrazil v UruguayBrazil v VenezuelaBrunei Darussalam v MalaysiaBrunei Darussalam v PhilippinesBulgaria v GreeceBulgaria v North MacedoniaBulgaria v RomaniaBulgaria v RussiaBulgaria v SerbiaBulgaria v TürkiyeBulgaria v UkraineBurkina Faso v Côte d'IvoireBurkina Faso v GhanaBurkina Faso v MaliBurkina Faso v NigerBurkina Faso v TogoBurundi v DR CongoBurundi v RwandaBurundi v TanzaniaCabo Verde v SenegalCambodia v LaosCambodia v MalaysiaCambodia v ThailandCambodia v VietnamCameroon v Central African RepublicCameroon v ChadCameroon v Congo RepublicCameroon v Equatorial GuineaCameroon v GabonCameroon v NigerCameroon v NigeriaCameroon v Sao Tome and PrincipeCentral African Republic v ChadCentral African Republic v Congo RepublicCentral African Republic v DR CongoCentral African Republic v South SudanCentral African Republic v SudanChad v LibyaChad v NigerChad v NigeriaChile v PeruChina v KazakhstanChina v KyrgyzstanChina v LaosChina v MongoliaChina v NepalChina v TaiwanChina v TajikistanColombia v Costa RicaColombia v Dominican RepublicColombia v EcuadorColombia v HaitiColombia v JamaicaColombia v NicaraguaColombia v PanamaColombia v PeruColombia v VenezuelaComoros v MadagascarComoros v MozambiqueComoros v SeychellesComoros v TanzaniaCongo Republic v DR CongoCongo Republic v GabonCosta Rica v El SalvadorCosta Rica v GuatemalaCosta Rica v NicaraguaCosta Rica v PanamaCôte d'Ivoire v GhanaCôte d'Ivoire v GuineaCôte d'Ivoire v LiberiaCôte d'Ivoire v MaliCroatia v GreeceCroatia v HungaryCroatia v ItalyCroatia v MontenegroCroatia v SloveniaCuba v Dominican RepublicCuba v HaitiCuba v HondurasCuba v JamaicaCuba v MexicoCuba v United StatesCyprus v EgyptCyprus v GreeceCyprus v IsraelCyprus v LebanonCyprus v SyriaCyprus v TürkiyeCzechia v GermanyCzechia v PolandCzechia v SlovakiaDenmark v EstoniaDenmark v FranceDenmark v GermanyDenmark v LatviaDenmark v LithuaniaDenmark v NetherlandsDenmark v NorwayDenmark v PolandDenmark v SwedenDenmark v United KingdomDjibouti v EritreaDjibouti v EthiopiaDjibouti v Saudi ArabiaDjibouti v SomaliaDjibouti v YemenDominica v GrenadaDominica v St. Kitts and NevisDominica v St. LuciaDominica v St. Vincent and the GrenadinesDominica v VenezuelaDominican Republic v HaitiDominican Republic v JamaicaDominican Republic v St. Kitts and NevisDR Congo v RwandaDR Congo v South SudanDR Congo v SudanDR Congo v TanzaniaDR Congo v UgandaDR Congo v ZambiaEcuador v PeruEgypt v GreeceEgypt v IraqEgypt v IsraelEgypt v JordanEgypt v LebanonEgypt v LibyaEgypt v SudanEgypt v SyriaEl Salvador v GuatemalaEl Salvador v HondurasEl Salvador v NicaraguaEquatorial Guinea v GabonEquatorial Guinea v NigeriaEquatorial Guinea v Sao Tome and PrincipeEritrea v EthiopiaEritrea v Saudi ArabiaEritrea v SudanEritrea v YemenEstonia v FinlandEstonia v GermanyEstonia v LatviaEstonia v PolandEstonia v SwedenEswatini v MozambiqueEswatini v South AfricaEthiopia v KenyaEthiopia v SomaliaEthiopia v South SudanEthiopia v SudanEthiopia v YemenFiji v TongaFiji v TuvaluFinland v GermanyFinland v LatviaFinland v LithuaniaFinland v NorwayFinland v SwedenFrance v IrelandFrance v LuxembourgFrance v MonacoFrance v NetherlandsFrance v SwitzerlandFrance v TunisiaFrance v VaticanGabon v NigeriaGabon v Sao Tome and PrincipeGambia v SenegalGeorgia v RussiaGeorgia v TürkiyeGeorgia v UkraineGermany v HungaryGermany v LatviaGermany v LithuaniaGermany v LuxembourgGermany v NetherlandsGermany v NorwayGermany v SerbiaGermany v SwedenGermany v SwitzerlandGhana v NigeriaGhana v TogoGreece v LibyaGreece v MaltaGreece v North MacedoniaGrenada v GuyanaGrenada v St. Kitts and NevisGrenada v St. Vincent and the GrenadinesGrenada v Trinidad and TobagoGuatemala v HondurasGuatemala v MexicoGuatemala v NicaraguaGuinea-Bissau v SenegalGuinea v Guinea-BissauGuinea v LiberiaGuinea v MaliGuinea v SenegalGuinea v Sierra LeoneGuyana v St. LuciaGuyana v St. Vincent and the GrenadinesGuyana v SurinameGuyana v Trinidad and TobagoHaiti v JamaicaHonduras v JamaicaHonduras v MexicoHonduras v NicaraguaHungary v RomaniaHungary v RussiaHungary v SlovakiaHungary v SloveniaHungary v UkraineIndia v MalaysiaIndia v MaldivesIndia v NepalIndia v Sri LankaIndonesia v MalaysiaIndonesia v Micronesia, Fed. Sts.Indonesia v PalauIndonesia v Papua New GuineaIndonesia v SingaporeIndonesia v Timor-LesteIran v IraqIran v KazakhstanIran v KuwaitIran v OmanIran v QatarIran v TurkmenistanIran v United Arab EmiratesIraq v JordanIraq v KuwaitIraq v QatarIraq v SyriaIreland v United KingdomIsrael v JordanIsrael v LebanonIsrael v Saudi ArabiaIsrael v SyriaItaly v LibyaItaly v MaltaItaly v MonacoItaly v MontenegroItaly v San MarinoItaly v SloveniaItaly v SwitzerlandItaly v TunisiaItaly v VaticanJamaica v NicaraguaJapan v TaiwanJordan v Saudi ArabiaJordan v SyriaKazakhstan v KyrgyzstanKazakhstan v RussiaKazakhstan v TurkmenistanKazakhstan v UzbekistanKenya v SomaliaKenya v South SudanKenya v SudanKenya v TanzaniaKenya v UgandaKiribati v Marshall IslandsKiribati v NauruKiribati v TuvaluKuwait v QatarKuwait v Saudi ArabiaKyrgyzstan v TajikistanKyrgyzstan v UzbekistanLaos v MyanmarLaos v ThailandLaos v VietnamLatvia v LithuaniaLebanon v SyriaLebanon v TürkiyeLesotho v South AfricaLiberia v Sierra LeoneLibya v MaltaLibya v NigerLibya v TunisiaLiechtenstein v SwitzerlandMadagascar v MozambiqueMadagascar v SeychellesMalawi v MozambiqueMalawi v TanzaniaMalawi v ZambiaMalaysia v PhilippinesMalaysia v SingaporeMalaysia v VietnamMali v MauritaniaMali v SenegalMalta v TunisiaMauritania v MoroccoMauritania v SenegalMauritania v SpainMauritius v SeychellesMicronesia, Fed. Sts. v PalauMicronesia, Fed. Sts. v Papua New GuineaMoldova v RomaniaMoldova v UkraineMonaco v SpainMongolia v RussiaMontenegro v SerbiaMorocco v PortugalMorocco v SpainMozambique v SeychellesMozambique v South AfricaMozambique v TanzaniaMozambique v ZambiaMozambique v ZimbabweNamibia v South AfricaNamibia v ZambiaNetherlands v NorwayNetherlands v United KingdomNicaragua v PanamaNigeria v Sao Tome and PrincipeNigeria v TogoNorth Macedonia v SerbiaNorway v United KingdomOman v PakistanOman v QatarOman v SomaliaOman v United Arab EmiratesOman v YemenPalau v PhilippinesPapua New Guinea v Solomon IslandsPhilippines v TaiwanPoland v RomaniaPoland v SlovakiaPortugal v SpainQatar v United Arab EmiratesRomania v RussiaRussia v TurkmenistanRwanda v TanzaniaRwanda v UgandaSamoa v TongaSaudi Arabia v United Arab EmiratesSaudi Arabia v YemenSeychelles v TanzaniaSlovakia v UkraineSolomon Islands v VanuatuSomalia v TanzaniaSouth Africa v ZimbabweSouth Sudan v SudanSouth Sudan v UgandaSpain v TunisiaSt. Kitts and Nevis v St. LuciaSt. Lucia v Trinidad and TobagoSudan v UgandaSuriname v Trinidad and TobagoSweden v United KingdomTajikistan v UzbekistanTürkiye v VaticanTurkmenistan v UzbekistanZambia v Zimbabwe