Armed forces personnel in Europe & Central Asia
Europe & Central Asia: Armed forces personnel was 1.2% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel in Europe & Central Asia, 1992–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel in Europe & Central Asia is 1.2%, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and down 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 2.0% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 2013.
Europe & Central Asia ranks 10th of 46 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel in Europe & Central Asia, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 1.9% | — |
| 1993 | 1.7% | -11.4% |
| 1994 | 1.7% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | +19.6% |
| 1996 | 1.9% | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 1.9% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 1.9% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 1.8% | -6.5% |
| 2000 | 1.7% | -5.6% |
| 2001 | 1.6% | -4.6% |
| 2002 | 1.5% | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 1.5% | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | -5.1% |
| 2005 | 1.4% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 1.3% | -8.3% |
| 2007 | 1.3% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 1.3% | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | -5.0% |
| 2014 | 1.1% | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 1.2% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 1.2% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 1.1% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 1.1% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 1.1% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.8% | 1.7% | 2.0% | 8 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia
More public sector data for Europe & Central Asia
- Arms imports 14.17 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 15.26 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0005 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 23.95 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 14.17 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 774.37 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0245 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 19.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 719.05 billion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 416.81 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Europe & Central Asia?
- Armed forces personnel in Europe & Central Asia was 1.2% in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.0% in 1995.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 2013.
- How does Europe & Central Asia rank for armed forces personnel?
- Europe & Central Asia ranks 10th out of 46 groups with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, published as part of Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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. Labor force comprises all people who meet the International Labour Organization's definition of the economically active population.