Latin America & Caribbean vs Nigeria: Armed forces personnel, total

Latin America & Caribbean
2.74 million
in 2020
Nigeria
223,000
in 2020
Latin America & Caribbean rank
27th
Nigeria rank
30th

Armed forces personnel, total over time

  • Latin America & Caribbean
  • Nigeria
01.0M2.0M3.0M198520022020

How they compare

Latin America & Caribbean currently reports 2.74 million against 223,000 in Nigeria, a difference of 2.52 million.

That makes Latin America & Caribbean's figure about 12.3 times Nigeria's.

Across all 33 years both countries report, Latin America & Caribbean has been ahead every year.

Latin America & Caribbean ranks 27th and Nigeria ranks 30th of 46 groups.

Latin America & Caribbean has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Latin America & Caribbean Nigeria Difference Ahead
1980s 1.48 million 100,500 1.37 million Latin America & Caribbean
1990s 1.80 million 93,620 1.70 million Latin America & Caribbean
2000s 2.21 million 155,700 2.06 million Latin America & Caribbean
2010s 2.62 million 187,100 2.43 million Latin America & Caribbean
2020s 2.74 million 223,000 2.52 million Latin America & Caribbean

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, Latin America & Caribbean or Nigeria?
Latin America & Caribbean, at 2.74 million against 223,000 in Nigeria as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between Latin America & Caribbean and Nigeria?
2.52 million, with Latin America & Caribbean ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Latin America & Caribbean and Nigeria?
33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do Latin America & Caribbean and Nigeria rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
Latin America & Caribbean ranks 27th and Nigeria ranks 30th of 46 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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Latin America & Caribbean vs Nigeria: Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel-total/latin-america-and-caribbean/nigeria/

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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.