South Africa Military theworldfactbook

South Africa Military 2008

Military branches:
South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army, South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), Joint Operations Command, Joint Support Command, Military Intelligence, Military Health Service (2007)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; women have a long history of military service in noncombat roles dating back to World War I (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 10,354,769
females age 18-49: 10,626,550 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 4,927,757
females age 18-49: 4,609,071 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 512,407
females age 18-49: 506,078 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.7% (2006)

Military - note:
with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete

NOTE: The information regarding South Africa on this page is re-published from the 2008 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of South Africa Military 2008 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about South Africa Military 2008 should be addressed to the CIA.