China vs World: Armed forces personnel, total
China
2.54 million
in 2020
World
27.41 million
in 2020
China rank
2nd
World rank
1st
Armed forces personnel, total over time
- China
- World
How they compare
World currently reports 27.41 million against 2.54 million in China, a difference of 24.87 million.
That makes World's figure about 10.8 times China's.
Across all 33 years both countries report, World has been ahead every year.
China ranks 2nd and World ranks 1st of 173 countries.
World has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | World | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.90 million | 23.25 million | 19.35 million | World |
| 1990s | 3.54 million | 26.79 million | 23.25 million | World |
| 2000s | 3.51 million | 27.94 million | 24.43 million | World |
| 2010s | 2.83 million | 27.65 million | 24.82 million | World |
| 2020s | 2.54 million | 27.41 million | 24.87 million | World |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, China or World?
- World, at 27.41 million against 2.54 million in China as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between China and World?
- 24.87 million, with World ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and World?
- 33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do China and World rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
- China ranks 2nd and World ranks 1st of 173 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, published as Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
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.