Military of South Africa
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 |