Armed forces personnel, total in Bhutan
Bhutan: Armed forces personnel, total was 6,000 in 2000. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel, total in Bhutan, 1985–2000
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Analysis
Bhutan recorded 6,000 for armed forces personnel, total in 2000.
That represents a change of down 14.3% on the previous year and up 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in Bhutan peaked at 7,000 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 3,000, in 1985.
Bhutan ranks 145th of 173 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel, total in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 3,000 | — |
| 1992 | 5,000 | +66.7% |
| 1993 | 5,000 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 5,000 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 4,000 | -20.0% |
| 1996 | 5,000 | +25.0% |
| 1997 | 6,000 | +20.0% |
| 1998 | 7,000 | +16.7% |
| 1999 | 7,000 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 6,000 | -14.3% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 6,000 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23,000, 26% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 6,000 is below the median for South Asia, which is 227,000, 3% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3,000 | 3,000 | 3,000 | 1 |
| 1990s | 5,500 | 4,000 | 7,000 | 8 |
| 2000s | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More public sector data for Bhutan
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- 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)
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Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total in Bhutan?
- Armed forces personnel, total in Bhutan was 6,000 in 2000, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 7,000 in 1998.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,000 in 1985.
- How does Bhutan rank for armed forces personnel, total?
- Bhutan ranks 145th out of 173 countries with data for 2000.
- Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bhutan 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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About this data
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.