Armed forces personnel, total in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)

East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income): Armed forces personnel, total was 6.76 million in 2020. ▬ Flat

Latest (2020)
6.76 million
Change on year
down 0.7%
Rank
12th
of 44 groups
All-time high
8.02 million
in 1995
All-time low
5.98 million
in 1994
Years of data
33
1985–2020

Armed forces personnel, total in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income), 1985–2020

02.0M4.0M6.0M8.0M1985200220201985: 6.8M1989: 7.4M1990: 7.0M1991: 6.7M1992: 6.5M1993: 6.3M1994: 6.0M1995: 8.0M1996: 8.0M1997: 7.5M1998: 7.7M1999: 7.7M2000: 7.8M2001: 7.6M2002: 7.6M2003: 7.7M2004: 7.2M2005: 7.7M2006: 7.5M2007: 6.8M2008: 6.8M2009: 7.0M2010: 7.0M2011: 7.2M2012: 7.2M2013: 7.2M2014: 7.2M2015: 7.0M2016: 7.0M2017: 7.0M2018: 7.0M2019: 6.8M2020: 6.8M

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

Analysis

East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) recorded 6.76 million for armed forces personnel, total in 2020.

That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and down 3.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) peaked at 8.02 million in 1995 and was at its lowest, 5.98 million, in 1994.

East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) ranks 12th of 44 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Armed forces personnel, total in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income), year by year

Annual values for Armed forces personnel, total in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income), 1985 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1985 6.82 million
1989 7.38 million +8.3%
1990 6.99 million -5.2%
1991 6.73 million -3.8%
1992 6.51 million -3.3%
1993 6.26 million -3.8%
1994 5.98 million -4.4%
1995 8.02 million +34.1%
1996 7.99 million -0.4%
1997 7.49 million -6.2%
1998 7.70 million +2.9%
1999 7.68 million -0.3%
2000 7.79 million +1.4%
2001 7.58 million -2.7%
2002 7.63 million +0.7%
2003 7.68 million +0.6%
2004 7.15 million -6.9%
2005 7.66 million +7.0%
2006 7.54 million -1.6%
2007 6.82 million -9.6%
2008 6.82 million +0.0%
2009 6.98 million +2.4%
2010 7.01 million +0.4%
2011 7.15 million +2.1%
2012 7.18 million +0.4%
2013 7.18 million +0.0%
2014 7.18 million +0.0%
2015 7.03 million -2.1%
2016 6.97 million -0.8%
2017 6.97 million -0.1%
2018 6.97 million -0.0%
2019 6.81 million -2.3%
2020 6.76 million -0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 7.10 million 6.82 million 7.38 million 2
1990s 7.13 million 5.98 million 8.02 million 10
2000s 7.36 million 6.82 million 7.79 million 10
2010s 7.05 million 6.81 million 7.18 million 10
2020s 6.76 million 6.76 million 6.76 million 1

Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)

  1. 9 Indonesia 676,000 compare
  2. 10 Iran, Islamic Republic of 650,000 compare
  3. 11 Republic of Korea 569,000 compare
  4. 12 Viet Nam 522,000 compare
  5. 13 Türkiye 512,000 compare
  6. 14 Myanmar 463,000 compare
  7. 15 Iraq 459,000 compare

See the full ranking of 219 places →

More public sector data for East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)

All data for East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) →

Frequently asked questions

What is armed forces personnel, total in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)?
Armed forces personnel, total in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) was 6.76 million in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)?
The highest recorded value was 8.02 million in 1995.
What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)?
The lowest recorded value was 5.98 million in 1994.
How does East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) rank for armed forces personnel, total?
East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) ranks 12th out of 44 groups with data for 2020.
Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 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 East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income). Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/armed-forces-personnel-total/east-asia-and-pacific-excluding-high-income/

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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.