North Korea vs Russia: Armed forces personnel, total
North Korea
1.47 million
in 2020
Russia
1.45 million
in 2020
North Korea rank
3rd
Russia rank
4th
Armed forces personnel, total over time
- North Korea
- Russia
How they compare
North Korea currently reports 1.47 million against 1.45 million in Russia, a difference of 15,000.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 29 shared years of data; in 1992 it was Russia ahead.
North Korea ranks 3rd and Russia ranks 4th of 173 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, North Korea averaged higher in 2 and Russia in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | North Korea | Russia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.19 million | 1.65 million | 460,638 | Russia |
| 2000s | 1.29 million | 1.44 million | 146,620 | Russia |
| 2010s | 1.42 million | 1.40 million | 13,900 | North Korea |
| 2020s | 1.47 million | 1.45 million | 15,000 | North Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, North Korea or Russia?
- North Korea, at 1.47 million against 1.45 million in Russia as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between North Korea and Russia?
- 15,000, with North Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for North Korea and Russia?
- 29 years are reported by both, from 1992 to 2020.
- How do North Korea and Russia rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
- North Korea ranks 3rd and Russia ranks 4th 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.
Individual pages
About this data
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.