European Union vs Spain: Armed forces personnel, total

European Union
1.91 million
in 2020
Spain
199,000
in 2020
European Union rank
32nd
Spain rank
32nd

Armed forces personnel, total over time

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

How they compare

European Union currently reports 1.91 million against 199,000 in Spain, a difference of 1.71 million.

That makes European Union's figure about 9.6 times Spain's.

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

European Union ranks 32nd and Spain ranks 32nd 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 Spain Difference Ahead
1980s 3.24 million 298,500 2.94 million European Union
1990s 3.20 million 249,312 2.95 million European Union
2000s 2.44 million 226,112 2.22 million European Union
2010s 1.98 million 205,772 1.78 million European Union
2020s 1.91 million 199,000 1.71 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 Spain?
European Union, at 1.91 million against 199,000 in Spain as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between European Union and Spain?
1.71 million, with European Union ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for European Union and Spain?
33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do European Union and Spain rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
European Union ranks 32nd and Spain ranks 32nd 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 Spain: Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 18 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel-total/european-union/spain/

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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.