Armed forces personnel in Singapore
Singapore: Armed forces personnel was 1.7% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel in Singapore, 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 Singapore is 1.7%, measured in 2020.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and down 65.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Singapore peaked at 9.0% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 2019.
Singapore ranks 36th 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 in Singapore, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3.8% | — |
| 1991 | 3.7% | -4.0% |
| 1992 | 3.5% | -3.9% |
| 1993 | 3.4% | -3.2% |
| 1994 | 3.3% | -4.1% |
| 1995 | 3.7% | +11.7% |
| 1996 | 3.5% | -5.3% |
| 1997 | 9.0% | +159.3% |
| 1998 | 8.7% | -3.0% |
| 1999 | 8.7% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 7.9% | -8.9% |
| 2001 | 7.0% | -11.1% |
| 2002 | 7.1% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 7.8% | +8.9% |
| 2004 | 7.5% | -3.8% |
| 2005 | 7.3% | -2.8% |
| 2006 | 6.9% | -5.1% |
| 2007 | 6.6% | -4.1% |
| 2008 | 6.1% | -7.6% |
| 2009 | 5.2% | -14.8% |
| 2010 | 5.0% | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 4.9% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 4.7% | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 4.6% | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 4.5% | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 4.4% | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 4.3% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 2.4% | -45.0% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | -27.2% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 1.7% | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.1% | 3.3% | 9.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.9% | 5.2% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.8% | 1.7% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
- 33 Saudi Arabia 1.9% compare
- 34 Afghanistan 1.8% compare
- 35 Cyprus 1.8% compare
- 37 Colombia 1.7% compare
- 38 Namibia 1.7% compare
- 39 El Salvador 1.6% compare
More public sector data for Singapore
- Arms imports 348.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 57.65 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0006 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -27.95 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 348.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 2,495 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0263 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 6.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 15.06 billion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 672,702 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Singapore?
- Armed forces personnel in Singapore was 1.7% in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel recorded in Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 9.0% in 1997.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 2019.
- How does Singapore rank for armed forces personnel?
- Singapore ranks 36th out of 171 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is down 65.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Singapore 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.