Armed forces personnel, total in OECD members
OECD members: Armed forces personnel, total was 5.86 million in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel, total in OECD members, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel, total in OECD members is 5.86 million, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 8.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in OECD members peaked at 8.02 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 5.86 million, in 2020.
OECD members ranks 13th 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.
Armed forces personnel, total in OECD members, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 7.38 million | — |
| 1989 | 8.02 million | +8.7% |
| 1990 | 7.91 million | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 7.82 million | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 7.39 million | -5.4% |
| 1993 | 7.26 million | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 7.27 million | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 7.36 million | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 7.27 million | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 7.20 million | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 7.19 million | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 7.08 million | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 6.73 million | -4.9% |
| 2001 | 6.52 million | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 6.53 million | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 6.52 million | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 6.32 million | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 6.57 million | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 6.41 million | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 6.42 million | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 6.42 million | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 6.35 million | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 6.38 million | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 6.23 million | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 6.24 million | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 6.16 million | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 6.08 million | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 5.96 million | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 5.97 million | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 5.95 million | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 5.95 million | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 5.94 million | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 5.86 million | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.70 million | 7.38 million | 8.02 million | 2 |
| 1990s | 7.37 million | 7.08 million | 7.91 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.48 million | 6.32 million | 6.73 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.08 million | 5.94 million | 6.38 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.86 million | 5.86 million | 5.86 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
More public sector data for OECD members
- Arms imports 11.87 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 8.5 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0002 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 26.58 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 11.87 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 1,238 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0253 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 12.54 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 1.73 trillion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 265.52 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total in OECD members?
- Armed forces personnel, total in OECD members was 5.86 million in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 8.02 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.86 million in 2020.
- How does OECD members rank for armed forces personnel, total?
- OECD members ranks 13th out of 46 groups with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this OECD members 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.