Germany vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Armed forces personnel, total

Germany
183,000
in 2020
Sub-Saharan Africa
1.73 million
in 2020
Germany rank
35th
Sub-Saharan Africa rank
32nd

Armed forces personnel, total over time

  • Germany
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M198520022020

How they compare

Sub-Saharan Africa currently reports 1.73 million against 183,000 in Germany, a difference of 1.55 million.

That makes Sub-Saharan Africa's figure about 9.5 times Germany's.

Across all 32 years both countries report, Sub-Saharan Africa has been ahead every year.

Germany ranks 35th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 32nd of 173 countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Germany Sub-Saharan Africa Difference Ahead
1980s 490,500 1.09 million 603,915 Sub-Saharan Africa
1990s 396,410 1.40 million 1.00 million Sub-Saharan Africa
2000s 268,718 1.57 million 1.31 million Sub-Saharan Africa
2010s 189,586 1.84 million 1.65 million Sub-Saharan Africa
2020s 183,000 1.73 million 1.55 million Sub-Saharan Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, Germany or Sub-Saharan Africa?
Sub-Saharan Africa, at 1.73 million against 183,000 in Germany as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between Germany and Sub-Saharan Africa?
1.55 million, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and Sub-Saharan Africa?
32 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do Germany and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
Germany ranks 35th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 32nd 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 Sub-Saharan Africa: Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 21 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel-total/germany/sub-saharan-africa/

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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.