Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled was 153,000 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in United Kingdom, 1985–2020
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in United Kingdom is 153,000, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.7% on the previous year and down 12.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in United Kingdom peaked at 334,000 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 148,000, in 2017.
United Kingdom ranks 41st 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 United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 334,000 | — |
| 1986 | 330,000 | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 326,000 | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 322,000 | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 318,000 | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 308,000 | -3.1% |
| 1991 | 301,000 | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 293,000 | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 271,000 | -7.5% |
| 1994 | 257,000 | -5.2% |
| 1995 | 233,000 | -9.3% |
| 1996 | 221,000 | -5.2% |
| 1997 | 218,000 | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 218,000 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 218,000 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 212,500 | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 211,400 | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 210,400 | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 212,600 | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 205,000 | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 217,000 | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 181,000 | -16.6% |
| 2007 | 160,000 | -11.6% |
| 2008 | 160,000 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 178,470 | +11.5% |
| 2010 | 174,020 | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 165,650 | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 169,150 | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 159,150 | -5.9% |
| 2014 | 154,700 | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 152,350 | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 150,250 | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 148,000 | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 148,450 | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 149,000 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 153,000 | +2.7% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 153,000 is above the median for high income countries, which is 25,000, 6.1× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 153,000 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 26,500, 5.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 326,000 | 318,000 | 334,000 | 5 |
| 1990s | 253,800 | 218,000 | 308,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 194,837 | 160,000 | 217,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 157,072 | 148,000 | 174,020 | 10 |
| 2020s | 153,000 | 153,000 | 153,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More public sector data for United Kingdom
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Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in United Kingdom?
- Armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled in United Kingdom was 153,000 in 2020, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 334,000 in 1985.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 148,000 in 2017.
- How does United Kingdom rank for armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled?
- United Kingdom ranks 41st out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total, gaps filled rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
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.