Armed forces personnel, total in Upper middle income

Upper middle income: Armed forces personnel, total was 9.92 million in 2020. ▬ Flat

Latest (2020)
9.92 million
Change on year
up 0.9%
Rank
7th
of 46 groups
All-time high
11.92 million
in 1996
All-time low
8.65 million
in 1994
Years of data
33
1985–2020

Armed forces personnel, total in Upper middle income, 1985–2020

02.5M5.0M7.5M10.0M12.5M1985200220201985: 9.5M1989: 10.4M1990: 9.9M1991: 8.8M1992: 9.1M1993: 8.8M1994: 8.7M1995: 11.7M1996: 11.9M1997: 11.3M1998: 11.5M1999: 11.3M2000: 11.3M2001: 10.9M2002: 10.8M2003: 10.8M2004: 9.8M2005: 10.4M2006: 10.7M2007: 9.8M2008: 10.0M2009: 10.2M2010: 10.3M2011: 10.4M2012: 10.5M2013: 9.8M2014: 9.9M2015: 9.8M2016: 9.7M2017: 9.7M2018: 10.0M2019: 9.8M2020: 9.9M

Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Analysis

In 2020, armed forces personnel, total in Upper middle income stood at 9.92 million.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and down 3.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in Upper middle income peaked at 11.92 million in 1996 and was at its lowest, 8.65 million, in 1994.

Upper middle income ranks 7th of 46 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

Armed forces personnel, total in Upper middle income, year by year

Annual values for Armed forces personnel, total in Upper middle income, 1985 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1985 9.47 million
1989 10.38 million +9.7%
1990 9.89 million -4.7%
1991 8.78 million -11.3%
1992 9.06 million +3.2%
1993 8.80 million -2.8%
1994 8.65 million -1.7%
1995 11.74 million +35.7%
1996 11.92 million +1.5%
1997 11.31 million -5.1%
1998 11.49 million +1.6%
1999 11.32 million -1.5%
2000 11.35 million +0.3%
2001 10.90 million -4.0%
2002 10.78 million -1.0%
2003 10.78 million +0.0%
2004 9.77 million -9.4%
2005 10.41 million +6.6%
2006 10.72 million +3.0%
2007 9.81 million -8.5%
2008 10.01 million +2.1%
2009 10.25 million +2.3%
2010 10.32 million +0.7%
2011 10.44 million +1.1%
2012 10.48 million +0.4%
2013 9.78 million -6.6%
2014 9.91 million +1.2%
2015 9.77 million -1.3%
2016 9.71 million -0.7%
2017 9.72 million +0.1%
2018 9.98 million +2.6%
2019 9.83 million -1.4%
2020 9.92 million +0.9%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Armed forces personnel, total in Upper middle income 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.

YearChange FromTo
1995 +35.7% 8.65 million 11.74 million

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 9.92 million 9.47 million 10.38 million 2
1990s 10.30 million 8.65 million 11.92 million 10
2000s 10.48 million 9.77 million 11.35 million 10
2010s 10.00 million 9.71 million 10.48 million 10
2020s 9.92 million 9.92 million 9.92 million 1

Countries ranked near Upper middle income

  1. 4 Russia 1.45 million compare
  2. 5 United States 1.40 million compare
  3. 6 Pakistan 943,000 compare
  4. 7 Egypt 836,000 compare
  5. 8 Brazil 762,000 compare
  6. 9 Indonesia 676,000 compare
  7. 10 Iran 650,000 compare

See the full ranking of 219 places →

More public sector data for Upper middle income

All data for Upper middle income →

Frequently asked questions

What is armed forces personnel, total in Upper middle income?
Armed forces personnel, total in Upper middle income was 9.92 million in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Upper middle income?
The highest recorded value was 11.92 million in 1996.
What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Upper middle income?
The lowest recorded value was 8.65 million in 1994.
How does Upper middle income rank for armed forces personnel, total?
Upper middle income ranks 7th out of 46 groups with data for 2020.
Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in Upper middle income?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Upper middle income 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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Armed forces personnel, total in Upper middle income. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/armed-forces-personnel-total/upper-middle-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Armed forces personnel, total
Source
The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
219 places, 6,823 data points, 1985–2020
Last refreshed

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.