Armed forces personnel, total in Africa Eastern and Southern

Africa Eastern and Southern: Armed forces personnel, total was 1.20 million in 2020. β–² Rising

Latest (2020)
1.20 million
Change on year
down 10.7%
Rank
40th
of 45 groups
All-time high
1.48 million
in 2012
All-time low
732,300
in 1985
Years of data
32
1985–2020

Armed forces personnel, total in Africa Eastern and Southern, 1985–2020

0500.0k1.0M1.5M1985200220201985: 732.3k1989: 912.0k1990: 922.0k1991: 814.0k1992: 800.0k1993: 850.0k1994: 794.0k1995: 1.3M1996: 1.3M1997: 1.2M1998: 1.3M1999: 1.3M2000: 1.4M2001: 1.2M2002: 1.2M2003: 1.1M2004: 1.1M2005: 1.1M2007: 1.1M2008: 1.1M2009: 1.1M2010: 1.3M2011: 1.5M2012: 1.5M2013: 1.5M2014: 1.5M2015: 1.5M2016: 1.3M2017: 1.3M2018: 1.3M2019: 1.3M2020: 1.2M

Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Analysis

The most recent figure for armed forces personnel, total in Africa Eastern and Southern is 1.20 million, measured in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.7% on the previous year and down 6.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 1.48 million in 2012 and was at its lowest, 732,300, in 1985.

That places Africa Eastern and Southern 40th out of 45 groups with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 822,150 732,300 912,000 2
1990s 1.07 million 794,000 1.34 million 10
2000s 1.18 million 1.12 million 1.39 million 9
2010s 1.40 million 1.29 million 1.48 million 10
2020s 1.20 million 1.20 million 1.20 million 1

Countries ranked near Africa Eastern and Southern

  1. 37 Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of 165,000 compare
  2. 38 Belarus, Republic of 158,000 compare
  3. 38 Peru 158,000 compare
  4. 40 Philippines 157,000 compare
  5. 41 United Kingdom 153,000 compare
  6. 42 Greece 147,000 compare
  7. 43 Sudan 144,000 compare

See the full ranking of 219 places β†’

More public sector data for Africa Eastern and Southern

All data for Africa Eastern and Southern β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is armed forces personnel, total in Africa Eastern and Southern?
Armed forces personnel, total in Africa Eastern and Southern was 1.20 million in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
The highest recorded value was 1.48 million in 2012.
What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
The lowest recorded value was 732,300 in 1985.
How does Africa Eastern and Southern rank for armed forces personnel, total?
Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 40th out of 45 groups with data for 2020.
Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
Over the last ten years it is down 6.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Africa Eastern and Southern data come from?
The figures come from The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, published as part of Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Armed forces personnel, total in Africa Eastern and Southern. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 18 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/armed-forces-personnel-total/africa-eastern-and-southern/

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About this data

Indicator
Armed forces personnel, total
Source
The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
219 places, 6,823 data points, 1985–2020
Last refreshed

Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if the training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.