France vs Saudi Arabia: Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled

France
304,000
in 2020
Saudi Arabia
282,000
in 2020
France rank
23rd
Saudi Arabia rank
25th

Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled over time

  • France
  • Saudi Arabia
100.0k200.0k300.0k400.0k500.0k600.0k198520022020

How they compare

France currently reports 304,000 against 282,000 in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 22,000.

That makes France's figure about 1.1 times Saudi Arabia's.

Across all 36 years both countries report, France has been ahead every year.

France ranks 23rd and Saudi Arabia ranks 25th of 173 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade France Saudi Arabia Difference Ahead
1980s 509,150 72,250 436,900 France
1990s 495,660 173,500 322,160 France
2000s 360,497 225,920 134,577 France
2010s 315,882 250,900 64,982 France
2020s 304,000 282,000 22,000 France

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled, France or Saudi Arabia?
France, at 304,000 against 282,000 in Saudi Arabia as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled between France and Saudi Arabia?
22,000, with France ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for France and Saudi Arabia?
36 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do France and Saudi Arabia rank globally for armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled?
France ranks 23rd and Saudi Arabia ranks 25th 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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France vs Saudi Arabia: Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel-total-gaps-filled/france/saudi-arabia/

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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.