Small states vs United Kingdom: Armed forces personnel, total
Small states
80,000
in 2020
United Kingdom
153,000
in 2020
Small states rank
43rd
United Kingdom rank
41st
Armed forces personnel, total over time
- Small states
- United Kingdom
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 153,000 against 80,000 in Small states, a difference of 73,000.
That makes United Kingdom's figure about 1.9 times Small states's.
Across all 21 years both countries report, United Kingdom has been ahead every year.
Small states ranks 43rd and United Kingdom ranks 41st of 45 groups.
United Kingdom has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Small states | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 73,357 | 233,500 | 160,143 | United Kingdom |
| 2000s | 76,188 | 177,742 | 101,554 | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 78,371 | 157,072 | 78,701 | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 80,000 | 153,000 | 73,000 | United Kingdom |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, Small states or United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom, at 153,000 against 80,000 in Small states as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between Small states and United Kingdom?
- 73,000, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Small states and United Kingdom?
- 21 years are reported by both, from 1992 to 2020.
- How do Small states and United Kingdom rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
- Small states ranks 43rd and United Kingdom ranks 41st of 45 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.
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.