Armed forces personnel in Somalia
Somalia: Armed forces personnel was 0.5% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel in Somalia, 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 Somalia is 0.5%, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 32.1% on the previous year and up 410.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Somalia peaked at 17.1% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2010.
Somalia ranks 122nd of 171 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Armed forces personnel in Somalia, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3.7% | — |
| 1995 | 17.1% | +363.9% |
| 1996 | 16.5% | -3.4% |
| 1997 | 16.0% | -3.3% |
| 1998 | 15.3% | -3.9% |
| 1999 | 3.3% | -78.6% |
| 2000 | 3.2% | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | -97.0% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 0.1% | +58.1% |
| 2012 | 0.9% | +516.6% |
| 2013 | 0.5% | -46.8% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | +49.0% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | +12.4% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 0.7% | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 0.7% | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 0.5% | -32.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.0% | 3.3% | 17.1% | 6 |
| 2000s | 1.6% | 0.1% | 3.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More public sector data for Somalia
- Arms imports 4.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.2104 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0003 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 4.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 10.62 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0169 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 43.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 201.85 million current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 6.38 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Somalia?
- Armed forces personnel in Somalia was 0.5% in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 17.1% in 1995.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2010.
- How does Somalia rank for armed forces personnel?
- Somalia ranks 122nd out of 171 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 410.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia 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.