Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Iraq
Iraq: Armed forces personnel, total, per capita was 0.0109 units per person in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Iraq, 1985–2020
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per person.
Analysis
In 2020, armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Iraq stood at 0.0109 units per person.
That represents a change of up 31.6% on the previous year and down 57.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Iraq peaked at 0.0791 units per person in 1990 and was at its lowest, 0.005 units per person, in 2013.
That places Iraq 19th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Iraq, year by year
| Year | units per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.0638 units per person | — |
| 1989 | 0.0576 units per person | -9.7% |
| 1990 | 0.0791 units per person | +37.3% |
| 1991 | 0.0267 units per person | -66.2% |
| 1992 | 0.0222 units per person | -16.8% |
| 1993 | 0.0212 units per person | -4.7% |
| 1994 | 0.0211 units per person | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 0.0196 units per person | -7.3% |
| 1996 | 0.0201 units per person | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 0.02 units per person | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 0.0209 units per person | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 0.0203 units per person | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 0.0196 units per person | -3.2% |
| 2001 | 0.0185 units per person | -5.5% |
| 2002 | 0.0166 units per person | -10.4% |
| 2003 | 0.0161 units per person | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 0.0065 units per person | -59.7% |
| 2005 | 0.008 units per person | +23.1% |
| 2006 | 0.0173 units per person | +116.5% |
| 2007 | 0.0128 units per person | -26.3% |
| 2008 | 0.0199 units per person | +56.2% |
| 2009 | 0.0219 units per person | +10.1% |
| 2010 | 0.0258 units per person | +17.8% |
| 2011 | 0.0249 units per person | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 0.0238 units per person | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 0.005 units per person | -78.9% |
| 2014 | 0.0057 units per person | +13.6% |
| 2015 | 0.0056 units per person | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 0.0054 units per person | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 0.0053 units per person | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 0.0083 units per person | +57.1% |
| 2019 | 0.0083 units per person | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 0.0109 units per person | +31.6% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 0.0109 units per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0045 units per person, 2.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 0.0109 units per person is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.0074 units per person, 1.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Iraq changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | +116.5% | 0.008 units per person | 0.0173 units per person |
| 2013 | -78.9% | 0.0238 units per person | 0.005 units per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0607 units per person | 0.0576 units per person | 0.0638 units per person | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.0271 units per person | 0.0196 units per person | 0.0791 units per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0157 units per person | 0.0065 units per person | 0.0219 units per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0118 units per person | 0.005 units per person | 0.0258 units per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0109 units per person | 0.0109 units per person | 0.0109 units per person | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More public sector data for Iraq
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 55.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.4995 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -20.69 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Iraq?
- Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Iraq was 0.0109 units per person in 2020, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total, per capita recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0791 units per person in 1990.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total, per capita recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.005 units per person in 2013.
- How does Iraq rank for armed forces personnel, total, per capita?
- Iraq ranks 19th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total, per capita rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 57.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Armed forces personnel, total, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Armed forces personnel, total divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Armed forces personnel, total ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Armed forces personnel, total The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
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 divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.