Iran, Islamic Republic of vs World: Armed forces personnel

Iran, Islamic Republic of
2.4%
in 2020
World
0.8%
in 2020
Iran, Islamic Republic of rank
22nd
World rank
22nd

Armed forces personnel over time

  • Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • World
12345199020052020

How they compare

Iran, Islamic Republic of currently reports 2.4% against 0.8% in World, a difference of 1.6%.

That makes Iran, Islamic Republic of's figure about 3.0 times World's.

Across all 31 years both countries report, Iran, Islamic Republic of has been ahead every year.

Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 22nd and World ranks 22nd of 171 countries.

Iran, Islamic Republic of has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Iran, Islamic Republic of World Difference Ahead
1990s 4.0% 1.1% 2.9% Iran, Islamic Republic of
2000s 2.5% 1.0% 1.6% Iran, Islamic Republic of
2010s 2.2% 0.8% 1.3% Iran, Islamic Republic of
2020s 2.4% 0.8% 1.6% Iran, Islamic Republic of

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel, Iran, Islamic Republic of or World?
Iran, Islamic Republic of, at 2.4% against 0.8% in World as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Iran, Islamic Republic of and World?
1.6%, with Iran, Islamic Republic of ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iran, Islamic Republic of and World?
31 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2020.
How do Iran, Islamic Republic of and World rank globally for armed forces personnel?
Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 22nd and World ranks 22nd 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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Iran, Islamic Republic of vs World: Armed forces personnel. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel-percent-of-total-labor-force/iran-islamic-rep/world/

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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.