Armed forces personnel, total in Nepal
Nepal: Armed forces personnel, total was 112,000 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel, total in Nepal, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Analysis
Nepal recorded 112,000 for armed forces personnel, total in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 29.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in Nepal peaked at 158,600 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 25,000, in 1985.
Nepal ranks 52nd of 173 countries 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 Nepal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 25,000 | — |
| 1989 | 35,000 | +40.0% |
| 1990 | 35,000 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 35,000 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 35,000 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 35,000 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 35,000 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 63,000 | +80.0% |
| 1996 | 71,000 | +12.7% |
| 1997 | 86,000 | +21.1% |
| 1998 | 90,000 | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 90,000 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 90,000 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 86,000 | -4.4% |
| 2002 | 91,000 | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 103,000 | +13.2% |
| 2004 | 131,000 | +27.2% |
| 2005 | 131,000 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 131,000 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 131,000 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 131,000 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 157,753 | +20.4% |
| 2010 | 157,753 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 157,750 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 157,750 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 157,750 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 157,750 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 158,600 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 158,600 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 112,000 | -29.4% |
| 2018 | 111,600 | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 112,000 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 112,000 | +0.0% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 112,000 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23,000, 4.9× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 112,000 is below the median for South Asia, which is 227,000, 49% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 30,000 | 25,000 | 35,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 57,500 | 35,000 | 90,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 118,275 | 86,000 | 157,753 | 10 |
| 2010s | 144,155 | 111,600 | 158,600 | 10 |
| 2020s | 112,000 | 112,000 | 112,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More public sector data for Nepal
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- 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 Nepal?
- Armed forces personnel, total in Nepal was 112,000 in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 158,600 in 2015.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 25,000 in 1985.
- How does Nepal rank for armed forces personnel, total?
- Nepal ranks 52nd out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal 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.