Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in Spain

Spain: Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled was 199,000 in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
199,000
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
32nd
of 173 countries
All-time high
320,000
in 1985
All-time low
196,000
in 2017
Years of data
36
1985–2020

Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in Spain, 1985–2020

0100.0k200.0k300.0k1985200220201985: 320.0k1986: 309.2k1987: 298.5k1988: 287.8k1989: 277.0k1990: 263.0k1991: 246.0k1992: 198.0k1993: 204.0k1994: 213.0k1995: 281.6k1996: 282.3k1997: 273.2k1998: 269.7k1999: 262.3k2000: 241.8k2001: 214.7k2002: 251.2k2003: 224.0k2004: 220.0k2005: 220.0k2006: 222.0k2007: 222.0k2008: 223.0k2009: 222.4k2010: 223.2k2011: 215.7k2012: 215.6k2013: 213.9k2014: 200.0k2015: 199.9k2016: 197.9k2017: 196.0k2018: 196.3k2019: 199.0k2020: 199.0k

Source: Statizoid (derived).

Analysis

The most recent figure for armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in Spain is 199,000, measured in 2020.

That represents a change of down 10.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in Spain peaked at 320,000 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 196,000, in 2017.

Spain ranks 32nd of 173 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

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

Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in Spain, year by year

Annual values for Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in Spain, 1985 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1985 320,000
1986 309,250 -3.4%
1987 298,500 -3.5%
1988 287,750 -3.6%
1989 277,000 -3.7%
1990 263,000 -5.1%
1991 246,000 -6.5%
1992 198,000 -19.5%
1993 204,000 +3.0%
1994 213,000 +4.4%
1995 281,600 +32.2%
1996 282,300 +0.2%
1997 273,250 -3.2%
1998 269,710 -1.3%
1999 262,260 -2.8%
2000 241,800 -7.8%
2001 214,700 -11.2%
2002 251,200 +17.0%
2003 224,000 -10.8%
2004 220,000 -1.8%
2005 220,000 +0.0%
2006 222,000 +0.9%
2007 222,000 +0.0%
2008 223,000 +0.5%
2009 222,422 -0.3%
2010 223,216 +0.4%
2011 215,700 -3.4%
2012 215,600 -0.0%
2013 213,950 -0.8%
2014 200,000 -6.5%
2015 199,950 -0.0%
2016 197,950 -1.0%
2017 196,000 -1.0%
2018 196,350 +0.2%
2019 199,000 +1.3%
2020 199,000 +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 298,500 277,000 320,000 5
1990s 249,312 198,000 282,300 10
2000s 226,112 214,700 251,200 10
2010s 205,772 196,000 223,216 10
2020s 199,000 199,000 199,000 1

Countries ranked near Spain

  1. 29 Bangladesh 227,000 compare
  2. 30 Nigeria 223,000 compare
  3. 31 Eritrea 202,000 compare
  4. 33 Cambodia 191,000 compare
  5. 34 Poland 189,000 compare
  6. 35 Germany 183,000 compare

See the full ranking of 219 places →

More public sector data for Spain

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in Spain?
Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in Spain was 199,000 in 2020, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled recorded in Spain?
The highest recorded value was 320,000 in 1985.
What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled recorded in Spain?
The lowest recorded value was 196,000 in 2017.
How does Spain rank for armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled?
Spain ranks 32nd out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
Is armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled rising or falling in Spain?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Spain 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 Spain. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/armed-forces-personnel-total-gaps-filled/spain/

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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.