Armed forces personnel in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste: Armed forces personnel was 0.4% in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
0.4%
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
140th
of 171 countries
All-time high
0.4%
in 2018
All-time low
0.2%
in 2008
Years of data
16
2004–2020

Armed forces personnel in Timor-Leste, 2004–2020

00.10.20.30.42004201220202004: 0.267 % of total labor force2006: 0.254 % of total labor force2007: 0.249 % of total labor force2008: 0.244 % of total labor force2009: 0.318 % of total labor force2010: 0.311 % of total labor force2011: 0.303 % of total labor force2012: 0.295 % of total labor force2013: 0.287 % of total labor force2014: 0.279 % of total labor force2015: 0.271 % of total labor force2016: 0.263 % of total labor force2017: 0.383 % of total labor force2018: 0.408 % of total labor force2019: 0.364 % of total labor force2020: 0.358 % of total labor force

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 Timor-Leste is 0.4%, measured in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and up 15.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Timor-Leste peaked at 0.4% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2008.

That places Timor-Leste 140th out of 171 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.

Armed forces personnel in Timor-Leste, year by year

Annual values for Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) in Timor-Leste, 2004 to 2020.
Year % of total labor force Change
2004 0.3%
2006 0.3% -4.7%
2007 0.2% -2.1%
2008 0.2% -2.1%
2009 0.3% +30.3%
2010 0.3% -2.2%
2011 0.3% -2.6%
2012 0.3% -2.6%
2013 0.3% -2.7%
2014 0.3% -2.7%
2015 0.3% -2.8%
2016 0.3% -2.9%
2017 0.4% +45.5%
2018 0.4% +6.6%
2019 0.4% -10.7%
2020 0.4% -1.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.3% 0.2% 0.3% 5
2010s 0.3% 0.3% 0.4% 10
2020s 0.4% 0.4% 0.4% 1

Countries ranked near Timor-Leste

  1. 137 Senegal 0.4% compare
  2. 138 Philippines 0.4% compare
  3. 139 Ireland 0.4% compare
  4. 141 Sierra Leone 0.4% compare
  5. 142 Canada 0.4% compare
  6. 143 New Zealand 0.3% compare

See the full ranking of 217 places →

More public sector data for Timor-Leste

All data for Timor-Leste →

Frequently asked questions

What is armed forces personnel in Timor-Leste?
Armed forces personnel in Timor-Leste was 0.4% in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
What is the highest armed forces personnel recorded in Timor-Leste?
The highest recorded value was 0.4% in 2018.
What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Timor-Leste?
The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2008.
How does Timor-Leste rank for armed forces personnel?
Timor-Leste ranks 140th out of 171 countries with data for 2020.
Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Timor-Leste?
Over the last ten years it is up 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Timor-Leste 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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Armed forces personnel in Timor-Leste. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/armed-forces-personnel-percent-of-total-labor-force/timor-leste/

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About this data

Indicator
Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force)
Unit
% of total labor force
Source
The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
217 places, 6,411 data points, 1990–2020
Last refreshed

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.