Canada vs China: Armed forces personnel

Canada
0.4%
in 2020
China
0.3%
in 2020
Canada rank
142nd
China rank
145th

Armed forces personnel over time

  • Canada
  • China
00.20.40.6199020052020

How they compare

Canada currently reports 0.4% against 0.3% in China, a difference of 0.1%.

That makes Canada's figure about 1.1 times China's.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 31 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Canada ahead.

Canada ranks 142nd and China ranks 145th of 171 countries.

Across the 4 decades both report, Canada averaged higher in 1 and China in 3.

Head to head by decade

Decade Canada China Difference Ahead
1990s 0.5% 0.5% 0.0% China
2000s 0.4% 0.5% 0.1% China
2010s 0.3% 0.4% 0.0% China
2020s 0.4% 0.3% 0.0% Canada

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel, Canada or China?
Canada, at 0.4% against 0.3% in China as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Canada and China?
0.1%, with Canada ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and China?
31 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2020.
How do Canada and China rank globally for armed forces personnel?
Canada ranks 142nd and China ranks 145th of 171 countries.
Where does this data come from?
The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, published as Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Canada vs China: Armed forces personnel. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel-percent-of-total-labor-force/canada/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force)
Unit
% of total labor force
Source
The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
217 places, 6,411 data points, 1990–2020
Last refreshed

Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if the training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces. Labor force comprises all people who meet the International Labour Organization's definition of the economically active population.