European Union vs Germany: Armed forces personnel, total

European Union
1.91 million
in 2020
Germany
183,000
in 2020
European Union rank
32nd
Germany rank
35th

Armed forces personnel, total over time

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

How they compare

European Union currently reports 1.91 million against 183,000 in Germany, a difference of 1.73 million.

That makes European Union's figure about 10.5 times Germany's.

Across all 33 years both countries report, European Union has been ahead every year.

European Union ranks 32nd and Germany ranks 35th of 45 groups.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade European Union Germany Difference Ahead
1980s 3.24 million 490,500 2.75 million European Union
1990s 3.20 million 396,410 2.81 million European Union
2000s 2.44 million 266,446 2.18 million European Union
2010s 1.98 million 189,586 1.79 million European Union
2020s 1.91 million 183,000 1.73 million European Union

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, European Union or Germany?
European Union, at 1.91 million against 183,000 in Germany as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between European Union and Germany?
1.73 million, with European Union ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for European Union and Germany?
33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do European Union and Germany rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
European Union ranks 32nd and Germany ranks 35th of 45 groups.
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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European Union vs Germany: Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 19 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel-total/european-union/germany/

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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.