Armed forces personnel, total in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Armed forces personnel, total was 4.83 million in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel, total in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan recorded 4.83 million for armed forces personnel, total in 2020.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and down 11.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 5.45 million in 2010 and was at its lowest, 3.47 million, in 1994.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 16th of 46 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel, total in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 3.87 million | — |
| 1989 | 4.13 million | +6.8% |
| 1990 | 4.45 million | +7.8% |
| 1991 | 3.61 million | -19.0% |
| 1992 | 3.51 million | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 3.51 million | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 3.47 million | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 4.88 million | +40.7% |
| 1996 | 5.13 million | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 5.20 million | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 5.14 million | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 5.15 million | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 5.25 million | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 4.69 million | -10.6% |
| 2002 | 4.78 million | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 4.83 million | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 4.37 million | -9.4% |
| 2005 | 4.62 million | +5.6% |
| 2006 | 4.99 million | +7.9% |
| 2007 | 4.84 million | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 5.10 million | +5.4% |
| 2009 | 5.36 million | +5.1% |
| 2010 | 5.45 million | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 5.26 million | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 5.27 million | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 4.60 million | -12.8% |
| 2014 | 4.56 million | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 4.58 million | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 4.62 million | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 4.57 million | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 4.73 million | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 4.79 million | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 4.83 million | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.00 million | 3.87 million | 4.13 million | 2 |
| 1990s | 4.41 million | 3.47 million | 5.20 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.88 million | 4.37 million | 5.36 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.84 million | 4.56 million | 5.45 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.83 million | 4.83 million | 4.83 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More public sector data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Arms imports 6.14 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 7.55 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0012 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -41.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 6.14 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 246.67 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0393 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 15.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 200.58 billion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 831.08 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Armed forces personnel, total in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 4.83 million in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 5.45 million in 2010.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.47 million in 1994.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for armed forces personnel, total?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 16th out of 46 groups with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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.