Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled by country
Armed forces personnel, total with 597 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Countries reporting
173
Highest
3.07 million
India
Lowest
0
Seychelles
Median
31,000
Years covered
36
1985–2020
Data points
7,420
What the numbers show
Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled is currently reported for 173 countries. The highest value is 3.07 million in India; the lowest is 0 in Seychelles.
The median across all reporting countries is 31,000, and the mean is 157,428.
Over the past decade 86 countries rose and 77 fell. The largest increase was in Somalia (up 600.0%), and the largest decrease in Antigua and Barbuda (down 100.0%).
Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 3.07 million | 2020 | up 16.8% | rising |
| 2 | China | 2.54 million | 2020 | down 13.9% | falling |
| 3 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 1.47 million | 2020 | up 6.5% | rising |
| 4 | Russian Federation | 1.45 million | 2020 | up 1.7% | falling |
| 5 | United States of America | 1.40 million | 2020 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 6 | Pakistan | 943,000 | 2020 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 7 | Egypt | 836,000 | 2020 | up 0.1% | rising |
| 8 | Brazil | 762,000 | 2020 | up 6.8% | rising |
| 9 | Indonesia | 676,000 | 2020 | up 16.2% | rising |
| 10 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 650,000 | 2020 | up 15.5% | flat |
| 11 | Republic of Korea | 569,000 | 2020 | down 13.7% | falling |
| 12 | Viet Nam | 522,000 | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 13 | Türkiye | 512,000 | 2020 | down 16.4% | falling |
| 14 | Myanmar | 463,000 | 2020 | down 9.8% | rising |
| 15 | Iraq | 459,000 | 2020 | down 42.8% | volatile |
| 16 | Thailand | 455,000 | 2020 | up 8.4% | rising |
| 17 | Colombia | 428,000 | 2020 | down 3.1% | rising |
| 18 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 343,000 | 2020 | up 198.3% | volatile |
| 19 | Mexico | 341,000 | 2020 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 20 | Italy | 338,000 | 2020 | down 5.9% | falling |
| 21 | Algeria | 326,000 | 2020 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 22 | Sri Lanka | 317,000 | 2020 | up 42.1% | rising |
| 23 | France | 304,000 | 2020 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 24 | Ukraine | 298,000 | 2020 | up 38.7% | falling |
| 25 | Saudi Arabia | 282,000 | 2020 | up 13.3% | rising |
| 26 | Syrian Arab Republic | 269,000 | 2020 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 27 | Japan | 261,000 | 2020 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 28 | Morocco | 246,000 | 2020 | up 0.1% | rising |
| 29 | Bangladesh | 227,000 | 2020 | up 2.7% | rising |
| 30 | Nigeria | 223,000 | 2020 | up 37.7% | rising |
| 31 | Eritrea | 202,000 | 2020 | up 0.1% | rising |
| 32 | Spain | 199,000 | 2020 | down 10.8% | falling |
| 33 | Cambodia | 191,000 | 2020 | down 0.2% | rising |
| 34 | Poland | 189,000 | 2020 | up 55.7% | falling |
| 35 | Germany | 183,000 | 2020 | down 27.2% | falling |
| 36 | Israel | 178,000 | 2020 | down 3.5% | rising |
| 37 | Afghanistan | 165,000 | 2020 | down 46.2% | volatile |
| 38 | Belarus | 158,000 | 2020 | down 13.6% | rising |
| 38 | Peru | 158,000 | 2020 | down 17.7% | rising |
| 40 | Philippines | 157,000 | 2020 | down 5.1% | rising |
| 41 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 153,000 | 2020 | down 12.1% | falling |
| 42 | Greece | 147,000 | 2020 | down 1.8% | falling |
| 43 | Sudan | 144,000 | 2020 | up 13.6% | rising |
| 44 | Ethiopia | 138,000 | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 45 | Malaysia | 136,000 | 2020 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 46 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 134,000 | 2020 | down 15.7% | rising |
| 47 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 129,000 | 2020 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 48 | Romania | 128,000 | 2020 | down 16.8% | falling |
| 49 | Angola | 117,000 | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 50 | Jordan | 116,000 | 2020 | up 5.0% | falling |
| 51 | Chile | 114,000 | 2020 | up 9.9% | rising |
| 52 | Nepal | 112,000 | 2020 | down 29.0% | rising |
| 53 | Argentina | 103,000 | 2020 | down 1.3% | rising |
| 54 | South Africa | 89,000 | 2020 | up 15.4% | volatile |
| 55 | Azerbaijan | 82,000 | 2020 | up 0.1% | flat |
| 56 | Lebanon | 80,000 | 2020 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 57 | Cuba | 76,000 | 2020 | up 0.7% | volatile |
| 58 | Canada | 72,000 | 2020 | up 9.6% | falling |
| 59 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 71,000 | 2020 | down 14.7% | rising |
| 59 | Dominican Republic | 71,000 | 2020 | up 79.7% | rising |
| 59 | Kazakhstan | 71,000 | 2020 | down 11.8% | rising |
| 62 | Uzbekistan | 68,000 | 2020 | down 21.8% | rising |
| 63 | United Arab Emirates | 63,000 | 2020 | up 23.5% | rising |
| 64 | Australia | 60,000 | 2020 | up 6.1% | falling |
| 65 | Singapore | 59,000 | 2020 | down 60.0% | rising |
| 66 | Turkmenistan | 57,000 | 2020 | up 159.1% | rising |
| 67 | South Sudan | 53,000 | 2020 | down 62.1% | falling |
| 68 | Portugal | 52,000 | 2020 | down 42.4% | falling |
| 69 | Zimbabwe | 51,000 | 2020 | up 0.4% | flat |
| 70 | Tunisia | 48,000 | 2020 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 71 | Armenia | 47,000 | 2020 | down 15.4% | rising |
| 71 | Oman | 47,000 | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 73 | Hungary | 46,000 | 2020 | up 33.0% | falling |
| 73 | Uganda | 46,000 | 2020 | down 1.7% | rising |
| 75 | Chad | 45,000 | 2020 | up 29.1% | rising |
| 76 | Guatemala | 43,000 | 2020 | up 25.7% | flat |
| 77 | Ecuador | 42,000 | 2020 | down 28.8% | falling |
| 77 | El Salvador | 42,000 | 2020 | up 29.2% | falling |
| 79 | Mali | 41,000 | 2020 | up 237.4% | rising |
| 79 | Netherlands | 41,000 | 2020 | down 5.3% | falling |
| 81 | Yemen | 40,000 | 2020 | down 71.0% | falling |
| 82 | Bulgaria | 37,000 | 2020 | down 43.4% | falling |
| 82 | Lithuania | 37,000 | 2020 | up 46.6% | rising |
| 84 | Rwanda | 35,000 | 2020 | unchanged | volatile |
| 85 | Cameroon | 34,000 | 2020 | up 46.6% | rising |
| 86 | Serbia | 32,000 | 2020 | up 9.9% | volatile |
| 87 | Burundi | 31,000 | 2020 | down 39.3% | volatile |
| 88 | Paraguay | 29,000 | 2020 | up 13.9% | rising |
| 89 | Panama | 28,000 | 2020 | up 133.3% | rising |
| 89 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 28,000 | 2020 | down 1.4% | falling |
| 91 | Côte d'Ivoire | 27,000 | 2020 | up 45.6% | volatile |
| 91 | Czechia | 27,000 | 2020 | down 5.3% | volatile |
| 93 | Georgia | 26,000 | 2020 | down 19.6% | rising |
| 94 | Kuwait | 25,000 | 2020 | up 10.6% | rising |
| 94 | Norway | 25,000 | 2020 | up 2.2% | falling |
| 96 | Belgium | 24,000 | 2020 | down 32.8% | volatile |
| 96 | Kenya | 24,000 | 2020 | down 17.6% | rising |
| 98 | Austria | 23,000 | 2020 | down 10.7% | falling |
| 98 | Honduras | 23,000 | 2020 | up 15.0% | rising |
| 100 | Finland | 22,000 | 2020 | down 11.9% | falling |
| 100 | Madagascar | 22,000 | 2020 | up 1.9% | flat |
| 100 | Qatar | 22,000 | 2020 | up 86.4% | rising |
| 100 | Uruguay | 22,000 | 2020 | down 13.5% | falling |
| 104 | Kyrgyzstan | 21,000 | 2020 | up 2.9% | rising |
| 104 | Mauritania | 21,000 | 2020 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 106 | Switzerland | 20,000 | 2020 | down 20.9% | volatile |
| 106 | Croatia | 20,000 | 2020 | down 7.4% | volatile |
| 108 | Bahrain | 19,000 | 2020 | down 2.4% | rising |
| 108 | Senegal | 19,000 | 2020 | up 2.0% | rising |
| 110 | Mongolia | 18,000 | 2020 | up 4.7% | falling |
| 110 | Slovakia | 18,000 | 2020 | up 13.9% | falling |
| 112 | Tajikistan | 17,000 | 2020 | up 4.3% | rising |
| 113 | Ghana | 16,000 | 2020 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 113 | North Macedonia | 16,000 | 2020 | up 100.0% | falling |
| 113 | Namibia | 16,000 | 2020 | up 5.3% | rising |
| 113 | Zambia | 16,000 | 2020 | down 3.0% | falling |
| 117 | Denmark | 15,000 | 2020 | down 19.5% | falling |
| 117 | Malawi | 15,000 | 2020 | up 183.0% | rising |
| 117 | Sweden | 15,000 | 2020 | down 29.1% | volatile |
| 120 | Somalia | 14,000 | 2020 | up 600.0% | volatile |
| 121 | Cyprus | 13,000 | 2020 | up 2.0% | rising |
| 121 | Djibouti | 13,000 | 2020 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 121 | Guinea | 13,000 | 2020 | down 32.6% | falling |
| 124 | Benin | 12,000 | 2020 | up 65.5% | rising |
| 124 | Congo | 12,000 | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 124 | Montenegro | 12,000 | 2020 | down 8.3% | falling |
| 124 | Nicaragua | 12,000 | 2020 | unchanged | volatile |
| 128 | Burkina Faso | 11,000 | 2020 | down 3.9% | rising |
| 128 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 11,000 | 2020 | up 4.0% | volatile |
| 128 | Mozambique | 11,000 | 2020 | down 1.8% | volatile |
| 131 | Central African Republic | 10,000 | 2020 | up 217.5% | rising |
| 131 | Costa Rica | 10,000 | 2020 | up 2.0% | falling |
| 131 | Niger | 10,000 | 2020 | down 6.5% | rising |
| 131 | New Zealand | 10,000 | 2020 | up 3.4% | falling |
| 131 | Togo | 10,000 | 2020 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 136 | Botswana | 9,000 | 2020 | down 14.3% | rising |
| 136 | Ireland | 9,000 | 2020 | down 14.0% | falling |
| 136 | Latvia | 9,000 | 2020 | up 95.7% | falling |
| 136 | Sierra Leone | 9,000 | 2020 | down 14.3% | rising |
| 140 | Albania | 8,000 | 2020 | down 45.7% | volatile |
| 140 | Brunei Darussalam | 8,000 | 2020 | down 13.5% | rising |
| 142 | Estonia | 7,000 | 2020 | up 21.7% | rising |
| 142 | Gabon | 7,000 | 2020 | up 4.5% | falling |
| 142 | Slovenia | 7,000 | 2020 | down 42.1% | falling |
| 145 | Bhutan | 6,000 | 2000 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 145 | Jamaica | 6,000 | 2020 | up 112.0% | rising |
| 145 | Republic of Moldova | 6,000 | 2020 | down 22.4% | falling |
| 148 | Trinidad and Tobago | 5,000 | 2020 | up 23.1% | rising |
| 149 | Fiji | 4,000 | 2020 | up 14.3% | flat |
| 149 | Gambia | 4,000 | 2020 | up 400.0% | volatile |
| 149 | Guinea-Bissau | 4,000 | 2020 | down 38.1% | falling |
| 149 | Papua New Guinea | 4,000 | 2020 | up 29.0% | falling |
| 153 | Guyana | 3,000 | 2020 | up 15.4% | falling |
| 153 | Mauritius | 3,000 | 2020 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 153 | Eswatini | 3,000 | 1999 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 156 | Bahamas | 2,000 | 2020 | up 132.6% | volatile |
| 156 | Belize | 2,000 | 2020 | up 90.5% | rising |
| 156 | Liberia | 2,000 | 2020 | down 2.0% | volatile |
| 156 | Lesotho | 2,000 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Malta | 2,000 | 2020 | down 6.0% | rising |
| 156 | Suriname | 2,000 | 2020 | up 8.7% | falling |
| 156 | Timor-Leste | 2,000 | 2020 | up 50.2% | rising |
| 163 | Barbados | 1,000 | 2020 | up 63.9% | rising |
| 163 | Cape Verde | 1,000 | 2020 | down 16.7% | volatile |
| 163 | Equatorial Guinea | 1,000 | 2020 | down 24.2% | falling |
| 163 | Haiti | 1,000 | 2020 | — | volatile |
| 163 | Luxembourg | 1,000 | 2020 | down 33.9% | rising |
| 163 | Sao Tome and Principe | 1,000 | 1999 | unchanged | flat |
| 169 | Antigua and Barbuda | 0 | 2020 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 169 | Iceland | 0 | 2020 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 169 | Libya | 0 | 2020 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 169 | Palestine, State of | 0 | 2020 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 169 | Seychelles | 0 | 2020 | down 100.0% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- World 27.41 million
- IDA & IBRD total 20.87 million
- Low & middle income 20.41 million
- European Union 1.91 million
- Middle income 17.48 million
- Euro area 1.49 million
- IBRD only 16.35 million
- Early-demographic dividend 11.03 million
- Upper middle income 9.92 million
- Late-demographic dividend 9.50 million
- East Asia & Pacific 7.91 million
- Lower middle income 7.56 million
- High income 7.00 million
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 6.76 million
- OECD members 5.86 million
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 5.29 million
- Europe & Central Asia 5.00 million
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 4.83 million
- Post-demographic dividend 4.71 million
- IDA total 4.52 million
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 4.19 million
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 4.19 million
- South Asia 3.72 million
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 3.72 million
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 3.27 million
- IDA only 3.12 million
- Arab World 3.07 million
- Low income 2.92 million
- Latin America & Caribbean 2.74 million
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 2.66 million
- Least developed countries 2.56 million
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 2.56 million
- Pre-demographic dividend 1.99 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 1.73 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa 1.73 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 1.73 million
- North America 1.47 million
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 1.44 million
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 1.41 million
- IDA blend 1.40 million
How this figure is calculated
Armed forces personnel, total with 597 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Armed forces personnel, total The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Armed forces personnel, total with 597 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.