Armed forces personnel, total in Switzerland
Switzerland: Armed forces personnel, total was 20,000 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel, total in Switzerland, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 20,000 for armed forces personnel, total in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in Switzerland peaked at 109,000 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 4,000, in 2004.
That places Switzerland 106th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Armed forces personnel, total in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 20,000 | — |
| 1989 | 17,000 | -15.0% |
| 1990 | 22,000 | +29.4% |
| 1991 | 22,000 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 31,000 | +40.9% |
| 1993 | 35,000 | +12.9% |
| 1994 | 39,000 | +11.4% |
| 1995 | 31,400 | -19.5% |
| 1996 | 27,300 | -13.1% |
| 1997 | 26,260 | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 26,300 | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 27,700 | +5.3% |
| 2000 | 27,700 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 26,800 | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 27,600 | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 27,500 | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 4,000 | -85.5% |
| 2005 | 109,000 | +2625.0% |
| 2006 | 23,000 | -78.9% |
| 2007 | 23,000 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 23,000 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 25,620 | +11.4% |
| 2010 | 25,287 | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 23,100 | -8.6% |
| 2012 | 22,650 | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 21,250 | -6.2% |
| 2014 | 20,800 | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 20,950 | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 20,950 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 21,000 | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 21,450 | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 20,000 | -6.8% |
| 2020 | 20,000 | +0.0% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 20,000 is below the median for high income countries, which is 25,000, 80% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 20,000 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 26,500, 75% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Armed forces personnel, total in Switzerland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +2625.0% | 4,000 | 109,000 |
| 2004 | -85.5% | 27,500 | 4,000 |
| 2006 | -78.9% | 109,000 | 23,000 |
| 1992 | +40.9% | 22,000 | 31,000 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 18,500 | 17,000 | 20,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 28,796 | 22,000 | 39,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 31,722 | 4,000 | 109,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 21,744 | 20,000 | 25,287 | 10 |
| 2020s | 20,000 | 20,000 | 20,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 104 Kyrgyzstan 21,000 compare
- 104 Mauritania 21,000 compare
- 106 Croatia 20,000 compare
- 108 Bahrain 19,000 compare
- 108 Senegal 19,000 compare
More public sector data for Switzerland
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Democracy 7 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total in Switzerland?
- Armed forces personnel, total in Switzerland was 20,000 in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 109,000 in 2005.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,000 in 2004.
- How does Switzerland rank for armed forces personnel, total?
- Switzerland ranks 106th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.