Armed forces personnel, total in European Union
European Union: Armed forces personnel, total was 1.91 million in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel, total in European Union, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Analysis
European Union recorded 1.91 million for armed forces personnel, total in 2020.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in European Union peaked at 3.56 million in 1995 and was at its lowest, 1.91 million, in 2019.
European Union ranks 32nd of 46 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.24 million | 3.09 million | 3.39 million | 2 |
| 1990s | 3.20 million | 3.01 million | 3.56 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.44 million | 2.07 million | 2.86 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.98 million | 1.91 million | 2.10 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.91 million | 1.91 million | 1.91 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More public sector data for European Union
- Arms imports 6.17 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Tax revenue 19.9% (2024)
- Taxes on income, profits and capital gains 22.3% (2024)
- Taxes on goods and services 29.2% (2024)
- Net investment in nonfinancial assets 1.6% (2024)
- Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) -2.6% (2024)
- Interest payments 2.9% (2024)
- Grants and other revenue 9.9% (2024)
- Interest payments 2.8% (2023)
- Other taxes 1.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total in European Union?
- Armed forces personnel, total in European Union was 1.91 million in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 3.56 million in 1995.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.91 million in 2019.
- How does European Union rank for armed forces personnel, total?
- European Union ranks 32nd out of 46 groups with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union 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.