Ethiopia vs United Kingdom: Armed forces personnel, total

Ethiopia
138,000
in 2020
United Kingdom
153,000
in 2020
Ethiopia rank
44th
United Kingdom rank
41st

Armed forces personnel, total over time

  • Ethiopia
  • United Kingdom
100.0k150.0k200.0k250.0k300.0k350.0k198520022020

How they compare

United Kingdom currently reports 153,000 against 138,000 in Ethiopia, a difference of 15,000.

That makes United Kingdom's figure about 1.1 times Ethiopia's.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 32 shared years of data; in 1985 it was United Kingdom ahead.

Ethiopia ranks 44th and United Kingdom ranks 41st of 173 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, Ethiopia averaged higher in 1 and United Kingdom in 4.

Head to head by decade

Decade Ethiopia United Kingdom Difference Ahead
1980s 233,500 326,000 92,500 United Kingdom
1990s 153,550 253,800 100,250 United Kingdom
2000s 199,878 196,374 3,503 Ethiopia
2010s 138,000 157,072 19,072 United Kingdom
2020s 138,000 153,000 15,000 United Kingdom

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, Ethiopia or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom, at 153,000 against 138,000 in Ethiopia as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between Ethiopia and United Kingdom?
15,000, with United Kingdom ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Ethiopia and United Kingdom?
32 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do Ethiopia and United Kingdom rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
Ethiopia ranks 44th and United Kingdom ranks 41st 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.

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Ethiopia vs United Kingdom: Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel-total/ethiopia/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Armed forces personnel, total
Source
The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
219 places, 6,823 data points, 1985–2020
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.