Armed forces personnel, total in Cuba
Cuba: Armed forces personnel, total was 76,000 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel, total in Cuba, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel, total in Cuba is 76,000, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in Cuba peaked at 297,000 in 1989 and was at its lowest, 72,500, in 2001.
That places Cuba 57th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 229,250 | 161,500 | 297,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 157,650 | 79,000 | 297,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 75,650 | 72,500 | 84,500 | 10 |
| 2010s | 75,650 | 75,500 | 76,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 76,000 | 76,000 | 76,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Cuba
- 54 South Africa 89,000 compare
- 55 Azerbaijan 82,000 compare
- 56 Lebanon 80,000 compare
- 58 Canada 72,000 compare
- 59 Bolivia 71,000 compare
- 59 Dominican Republic 71,000 compare
- 59 Kazakhstan 71,000 compare
More public sector data for Cuba
- Arms imports 8.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2004)
- Military expenditure 128.61 million current USD (2018)
- Military expenditure 2.9% (2018)
- Armed forces personnel 1.5% (2020)
- Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 1 data use score 40 scale 0-100 (2024)
- Intentional homicides 4.46 per 100,000 people (2019)
- Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 3 data products score 61.97 scale 0-100 (2024)
- Military expenditure 2.92 billion current LCU (2018)
- Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments 55.7% (2025)
- Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with disaste 42,000 number of cases (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total in Cuba?
- Armed forces personnel, total in Cuba was 76,000 in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Cuba?
- The highest recorded value was 297,000 in 1989.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Cuba?
- The lowest recorded value was 72,500 in 2001.
- How does Cuba rank for armed forces personnel, total?
- Cuba ranks 57th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in Cuba?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cuba 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.