Germany vs North America: Armed forces personnel, total

Germany
183,000
in 2020
North America
1.47 million
in 2020
Germany rank
35th
North America rank
36th

Armed forces personnel, total over time

  • Germany
  • North America
0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M2.5M198520022020

How they compare

North America currently reports 1.47 million against 183,000 in Germany, a difference of 1.28 million.

That makes North America's figure about 8.0 times Germany's.

Across all 33 years both countries report, North America has been ahead every year.

Germany ranks 35th and North America ranks 36th of 173 countries.

North America has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Germany North America Difference Ahead
1980s 490,500 2.28 million 1.79 million North America
1990s 396,410 1.84 million 1.45 million North America
2000s 266,446 1.57 million 1.30 million North America
2010s 189,586 1.49 million 1.30 million North America
2020s 183,000 1.47 million 1.28 million North America

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, Germany or North America?
North America, at 1.47 million against 183,000 in Germany as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between Germany and North America?
1.28 million, with North America ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and North America?
33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do Germany and North America rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
Germany ranks 35th and North America ranks 36th 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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Germany vs North America: 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/germany/north-america/

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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.