China vs European Union: Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled

China
2.54 million
in 2020
European Union
1.91 million
in 2020
China rank
2nd
European Union rank
2nd

Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled over time

  • China
  • European Union
01.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M198520022020

How they compare

China currently reports 2.54 million against 1.91 million in European Union, a difference of 622,000.

That makes China's figure about 1.3 times European Union's.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 36 shared years of data; in 1985 it was China ahead.

China ranks 2nd and European Union ranks 2nd of 173 countries.

China has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade China European Union Difference Ahead
1980s 3.90 million 3.24 million 659,650 China
1990s 3.54 million 3.20 million 333,096 China
2000s 3.51 million 2.44 million 1.07 million China
2010s 2.83 million 1.98 million 850,468 China
2020s 2.54 million 1.91 million 622,000 China

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled, China or European Union?
China, at 2.54 million against 1.91 million in European Union as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled between China and European Union?
622,000, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and European Union?
36 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do China and European Union rank globally for armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled?
China ranks 2nd and European Union ranks 2nd of 173 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Statizoid (derived), published as Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs European Union: Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel-total-gaps-filled/china/european-union/

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About this data

Indicator
Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
219 places, 7,420 data points, 1985–2020
Last refreshed

Armed forces personnel, total with 597 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.