South Africa
South Africa ranks #46 of 242 on the Composite Power Index (2.1/100), scored on military spending, active personnel, nuclear arsenal, economic size and logistics. Its Instability Index is 22.4/100 (#120 most fragile). Every figure below carries its source and year. Data read 2026-08-04.
What drives the instability score
Capability and economy · click a metric to compare
CINC is a composite index (already contains military spending, personnel, energy & population) — shown for reference; it is not added into the Composite Power Index to avoid double-counting. Each figure carries its own source year; vintages can differ.
Capability profile
Trajectory
Governance
Energy
Strategic Relationships
Allies (2)
- Mozambiqueneutrality 1984
- Eswatininonaggression 1982
COW alliance ties — includes historical pacts; defense first.
Disputes (35)
COW Dyadic MID, 1816–2014 — historical register, not live rivalries. Count = militarized disputes; year = most recent; ● = peak intensity.
Signals
Conflict forecast (ViEWS, 2029-04-01): 0% risk
Arms imports (SIPRI Arms Transfers, 2025): 1 transfers
100% of imports from Netherlands — supplier dependence
Displacement (UNHCR): 1.3K refugees originated · 0 IDPs · 55.2K hosted
Botswana
Lesotho
Mozambique
Namibia
Eswatini