France vs Sri Lanka: Armed forces personnel, total

France
304,000
in 2020
Sri Lanka
317,000
in 2020
France rank
23rd
Sri Lanka rank
22nd

Armed forces personnel, total over time

  • France
  • Sri Lanka
0200.0k400.0k600.0k198520022020

How they compare

Sri Lanka currently reports 317,000 against 304,000 in France, a difference of 13,000.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 33 shared years of data; in 1985 it was France ahead.

France ranks 23rd and Sri Lanka ranks 22nd of 173 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, France averaged higher in 4 and Sri Lanka in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade France Sri Lanka Difference Ahead
1980s 509,150 21,800 487,350 France
1990s 495,660 159,340 336,320 France
2000s 360,497 220,170 140,327 France
2010s 315,882 263,690 52,192 France
2020s 304,000 317,000 13,000 Sri Lanka

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, France or Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka, at 317,000 against 304,000 in France as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between France and Sri Lanka?
13,000, with Sri Lanka ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for France and Sri Lanka?
33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do France and Sri Lanka rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
France ranks 23rd and Sri Lanka ranks 22nd 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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France vs Sri Lanka: Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 17 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel-total/france/sri-lanka/

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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.