Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)

East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries): Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled was 5.29 million in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
5.29 million
Change on year
down 0.9%
Rank
13th
of 43 groups
All-time high
6.82 million
in 1996
All-time low
4.88 million
in 1994
Years of data
36
1985–2020

Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), 1985–2020

02.0M4.0M6.0M1985200220201985: 6.0M1986: 6.1M1987: 6.2M1988: 6.2M1989: 6.3M1990: 5.8M1991: 5.5M1992: 5.3M1993: 5.2M1994: 4.9M1995: 6.8M1996: 6.8M1997: 6.2M1998: 6.5M1999: 6.4M2000: 6.5M2001: 6.3M2002: 6.4M2003: 6.4M2004: 5.9M2005: 6.4M2006: 6.2M2007: 5.5M2008: 5.5M2009: 5.6M2010: 5.6M2011: 5.8M2012: 5.8M2013: 5.8M2014: 5.8M2015: 5.7M2016: 5.5M2017: 5.5M2018: 5.5M2019: 5.3M2020: 5.3M

Source: Statizoid (derived).

Analysis

The most recent figure for armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) is 5.29 million, measured in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 5.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 6.82 million in 1996 and was at its lowest, 4.88 million, in 1994.

East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 13th of 43 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.

Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), 1985 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1985 5.98 million
1986 6.07 million +1.5%
1987 6.16 million +1.5%
1988 6.25 million +1.5%
1989 6.34 million +1.4%
1990 5.79 million -8.6%
1991 5.53 million -4.6%
1992 5.31 million -4.0%
1993 5.16 million -2.8%
1994 4.88 million -5.4%
1995 6.78 million +38.8%
1996 6.82 million +0.6%
1997 6.24 million -8.4%
1998 6.46 million +3.4%
1999 6.44 million -0.3%
2000 6.55 million +1.7%
2001 6.31 million -3.6%
2002 6.36 million +0.8%
2003 6.41 million +0.7%
2004 5.86 million -8.6%
2005 6.36 million +8.6%
2006 6.24 million -1.9%
2007 5.52 million -11.5%
2008 5.52 million +0.0%
2009 5.60 million +1.4%
2010 5.63 million +0.5%
2011 5.78 million +2.7%
2012 5.80 million +0.4%
2013 5.80 million +0.0%
2014 5.80 million +0.0%
2015 5.65 million -2.6%
2016 5.51 million -2.6%
2017 5.50 million -0.1%
2018 5.50 million -0.0%
2019 5.34 million -2.9%
2020 5.29 million -0.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 6.16 million 5.98 million 6.34 million 5
1990s 5.94 million 4.88 million 6.82 million 10
2000s 6.07 million 5.52 million 6.55 million 10
2010s 5.63 million 5.34 million 5.80 million 10
2020s 5.29 million 5.29 million 5.29 million 1

Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)

  1. 10 Iran 650,000 compare
  2. 11 South Korea 569,000 compare
  3. 12 Vietnam 522,000 compare
  4. 13 Turkey 512,000 compare
  5. 14 Myanmar 463,000 compare
  6. 15 Iraq 459,000 compare
  7. 16 Thailand 455,000 compare

See the full ranking of 219 places →

More public sector data for East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)

All data for East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) was 5.29 million in 2020, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 6.82 million in 1996.
What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 4.88 million in 1994.
How does East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled?
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 13th out of 43 groups with data for 2020.
Is armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/armed-forces-personnel-total-gaps-filled/east-asia-and-pacific-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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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

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

Indicator
Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
219 places, 7,420 data points, 1985–2020
Last refreshed

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.