Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) vs Sri Lanka: Armed forces personnel, total

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
4.19 million
in 2020
Sri Lanka
317,000
in 2020
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) rank
19th
Sri Lanka rank
22nd

Armed forces personnel, total over time

  • Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
  • Sri Lanka
01.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M5.0M198520022020

How they compare

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) currently reports 4.19 million against 317,000 in Sri Lanka, a difference of 3.87 million.

That makes Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)'s figure about 13.2 times Sri Lanka's.

Across all 33 years both countries report, Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) has been ahead every year.

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 19th and Sri Lanka ranks 22nd of 46 groups.

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) Sri Lanka Difference Ahead
1980s 3.66 million 21,800 3.64 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
1990s 3.90 million 159,340 3.74 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
2000s 4.29 million 220,170 4.07 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
2010s 4.23 million 263,690 3.96 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
2020s 4.19 million 317,000 3.87 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) or Sri Lanka?
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), at 4.19 million against 317,000 in Sri Lanka as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) and Sri Lanka?
3.87 million, with Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) and Sri Lanka?
33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) and Sri Lanka rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 19th and Sri Lanka ranks 22nd 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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Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) vs Sri Lanka: Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel-total/middle-east-north-africa-afghanistan-and-pakistan-ida-and-ibrd/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.