Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan vs Thailand: Armed forces personnel, total

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
4.83 million
in 2020
Thailand
455,000
in 2020
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank
16th
Thailand rank
16th

Armed forces personnel, total over time

  • Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
  • Thailand
02.0M4.0M6.0M198520022020

How they compare

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan currently reports 4.83 million against 455,000 in Thailand, a difference of 4.37 million.

That makes Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan's figure about 10.6 times Thailand's.

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

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 16th and Thailand ranks 16th of 46 groups.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan Thailand Difference Ahead
1980s 4.00 million 259,150 3.74 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
1990s 4.41 million 333,900 4.07 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
2000s 4.88 million 419,336 4.46 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
2010s 4.84 million 452,871 4.39 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
2020s 4.83 million 455,000 4.37 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

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 or Thailand?
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, at 4.83 million against 455,000 in Thailand as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and Thailand?
4.37 million, with Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and Thailand?
33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and Thailand rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 16th and Thailand ranks 16th 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 vs Thailand: Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel-total/middle-east-north-africa-afghanistan-and-pakistan/thailand/

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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.