Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Armed forces personnel, total, per capita was 0.0023 units per person in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in United Kingdom, 1985–2020
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per person.
Analysis
In 2020, armed forces personnel, total, per capita in United Kingdom stood at 0.0023 units per person.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and down 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total, per capita in United Kingdom peaked at 0.0059 units per person in 1985 and was at its lowest, 0.0022 units per person, in 2019.
United Kingdom ranks 113th of 173 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | units per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.0059 units per person | — |
| 1989 | 0.0056 units per person | -5.7% |
| 1990 | 0.0054 units per person | -3.4% |
| 1991 | 0.0052 units per person | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 0.0051 units per person | -2.9% |
| 1993 | 0.0047 units per person | -7.7% |
| 1994 | 0.0044 units per person | -5.4% |
| 1995 | 0.004 units per person | -9.6% |
| 1996 | 0.0038 units per person | -5.4% |
| 1997 | 0.0037 units per person | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 0.0037 units per person | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 0.0037 units per person | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 0.0036 units per person | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 0.0036 units per person | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 0.0035 units per person | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 0.0036 units per person | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 0.0034 units per person | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 0.0036 units per person | +5.1% |
| 2006 | 0.003 units per person | -17.2% |
| 2007 | 0.0026 units per person | -12.3% |
| 2008 | 0.0026 units per person | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 0.0029 units per person | +10.7% |
| 2010 | 0.0028 units per person | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 0.0026 units per person | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 0.0027 units per person | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 0.0025 units per person | -6.5% |
| 2014 | 0.0024 units per person | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 0.0023 units per person | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 0.0023 units per person | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 0.0022 units per person | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 0.0022 units per person | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 0.0022 units per person | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 0.0023 units per person | +2.5% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 0.0023 units per person is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.0045 units per person, 51% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 0.0023 units per person is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.0046 units per person, 50% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0057 units per person | 0.0056 units per person | 0.0059 units per person | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.0044 units per person | 0.0037 units per person | 0.0054 units per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0032 units per person | 0.0026 units per person | 0.0036 units per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0024 units per person | 0.0022 units per person | 0.0028 units per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0023 units per person | 0.0023 units per person | 0.0023 units per person | 1 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More public sector data for United Kingdom
- 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 609.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 9.28 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0002 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 36.23 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total, per capita in United Kingdom?
- Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in United Kingdom was 0.0023 units per person in 2020, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total, per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0059 units per person in 1985.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total, per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0022 units per person in 2019.
- How does United Kingdom rank for armed forces personnel, total, per capita?
- United Kingdom ranks 113th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total, per capita rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.3%. 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, 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.