Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) in Oman
Oman: Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) was 2.1% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel in Oman, 1990–2020
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 Oman is 2.1%, measured in 2020.
The figure is up 9.7% on the previous year and down 46.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Oman peaked at 6.4% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 2018.
Oman ranks 25th of 171 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) in Oman, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5.7% | — |
| 1991 | 4.8% | -16.5% |
| 1992 | 5.3% | +11.8% |
| 1993 | 5.0% | -6.9% |
| 1994 | 4.8% | -4.0% |
| 1995 | 6.4% | +35.2% |
| 1996 | 6.3% | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 6.2% | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 6.1% | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 6.0% | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 5.9% | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 5.8% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 5.4% | -5.9% |
| 2003 | 5.3% | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 5.0% | -5.7% |
| 2005 | 4.9% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 4.8% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 4.6% | -4.4% |
| 2008 | 4.4% | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 4.2% | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 4.0% | -5.1% |
| 2011 | 3.3% | -17.6% |
| 2012 | 2.6% | -20.5% |
| 2013 | 2.3% | -10.7% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | -5.2% |
| 2015 | 2.1% | -5.3% |
| 2016 | 2.0% | -6.0% |
| 2017 | 1.9% | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 1.9% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 1.9% | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 2.1% | +9.7% |
Oman compared with similar countries
- Oman's 2.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.9%, 2.3× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Oman's 2.1% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2.1%, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) in Oman changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +35.2% | 4.8% | 6.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.7% | 4.8% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.0% | 4.2% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 1.9% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Oman
More public sector data for Oman
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 4.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.7922 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -20 % change on previous year (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 4.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 1,134 current USD per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Oman?
- Armed forces personnel in Oman was 2.1% in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel recorded in Oman?
- The highest recorded value was 6.4% in 1995.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Oman?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 2018.
- How does Oman rank for armed forces personnel?
- Oman ranks 25th out of 171 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Oman?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Oman 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.