Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) by country
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. Labor force comprises all people who meet the International Labour Organization's definition of the...
Countries reporting
171
Highest
13.3%
Eritrea
Lowest
0.0%
Palestine
Median
0.8%
Years covered
31
1990–2020
Data points
6,411
What the numbers show
Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) is currently reported for 171 countries. The highest value is 13.3% in Eritrea; the lowest is 0.0% in Palestine.
The median across all reporting countries is 0.8%, and the mean is 1.3%.
Over the past decade 50 countries rose and 120 fell. The largest increase was in Somalia (up 410.2%), and the largest decrease in Iceland (down 100.0%).
Armed forces personnel: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eritrea | 13.3% | 2020 | down 11.2% | rising |
| 2 | North Korea | 8.6% | 2020 | up 0.4% | falling |
| 3 | Syria | 5.4% | 2020 | down 17.2% | falling |
| 4 | Djibouti | 5.4% | 2020 | down 18.1% | falling |
| 5 | Sao Tome and Principe | 5.1% | 1999 | down 15.0% | falling |
| 6 | Montenegro | 4.7% | 2020 | down 14.0% | falling |
| 7 | Iraq | 4.4% | 2020 | down 58.7% | volatile |
| 8 | Israel | 4.2% | 2020 | down 20.3% | falling |
| 9 | Lebanon | 4.1% | 2020 | down 13.8% | falling |
| 10 | Laos | 4.1% | 2020 | down 22.6% | falling |
| 11 | Jordan | 4.0% | 2020 | down 33.6% | falling |
| 12 | Sri Lanka | 3.7% | 2020 | up 39.0% | rising |
| 13 | Brunei | 3.6% | 2020 | down 24.8% | falling |
| 14 | Venezuela | 3.5% | 2020 | up 289.0% | volatile |
| 15 | Armenia | 3.2% | 2020 | down 11.0% | rising |
| 16 | Greece | 3.2% | 2020 | up 7.3% | falling |
| 17 | Belarus | 3.2% | 2020 | down 12.0% | rising |
| 18 | Turkmenistan | 2.9% | 2020 | up 135.5% | rising |
| 19 | Algeria | 2.8% | 2020 | up 1.3% | rising |
| 20 | Egypt | 2.8% | 2020 | down 3.7% | falling |
| 21 | Lithuania | 2.5% | 2020 | up 46.3% | rising |
| 22 | Iran | 2.4% | 2020 | up 4.7% | falling |
| 23 | Bhutan | 2.3% | 2000 | up 9.4% | rising |
| 24 | Bahrain | 2.3% | 2020 | down 16.1% | falling |
| 25 | Oman | 2.1% | 2020 | down 46.6% | falling |
| 26 | Morocco | 2.1% | 2020 | down 4.1% | falling |
| 27 | Cambodia | 2.0% | 2020 | down 13.6% | falling |
| 28 | South Korea | 2.0% | 2020 | down 24.0% | falling |
| 29 | Mauritania | 2.0% | 2020 | down 19.7% | falling |
| 30 | North Macedonia | 2.0% | 2020 | up 108.6% | falling |
| 31 | Russia | 2.0% | 2020 | up 5.1% | falling |
| 32 | Myanmar | 1.9% | 2020 | down 13.1% | rising |
| 33 | Saudi Arabia | 1.9% | 2020 | down 31.1% | falling |
| 34 | Afghanistan | 1.8% | 2020 | down 59.5% | volatile |
| 35 | Cyprus | 1.8% | 2020 | down 14.8% | falling |
| 36 | Singapore | 1.7% | 2020 | down 65.8% | falling |
| 37 | Colombia | 1.7% | 2020 | down 16.1% | rising |
| 38 | Namibia | 1.7% | 2020 | down 16.8% | flat |
| 39 | El Salvador | 1.6% | 2020 | up 23.0% | falling |
| 40 | Turkey | 1.6% | 2020 | down 30.4% | falling |
| 41 | Azerbaijan | 1.6% | 2020 | down 17.6% | falling |
| 42 | Cuba | 1.5% | 2020 | up 3.8% | volatile |
| 43 | Romania | 1.5% | 2020 | down 15.1% | falling |
| 44 | Dominican Republic | 1.5% | 2020 | up 44.0% | rising |
| 45 | Ukraine | 1.4% | 2020 | up 49.3% | falling |
| 46 | Nepal | 1.4% | 2020 | down 36.3% | rising |
| 47 | Georgia | 1.4% | 2020 | down 10.0% | rising |
| 48 | Italy | 1.4% | 2020 | down 7.1% | falling |
| 49 | Sudan | 1.3% | 2020 | up 1.3% | rising |
| 50 | Panama | 1.3% | 2020 | up 85.4% | flat |
| 51 | Uruguay | 1.3% | 2020 | down 13.9% | falling |
| 52 | Belize | 1.3% | 2020 | up 60.2% | falling |
| 53 | Chile | 1.3% | 2020 | up 0.4% | falling |
| 54 | Mongolia | 1.3% | 2020 | down 14.4% | falling |
| 55 | Pakistan | 1.3% | 2020 | down 18.4% | falling |
| 56 | Bolivia | 1.2% | 2020 | down 33.8% | flat |
| 57 | Bulgaria | 1.2% | 2020 | down 38.1% | falling |
| 58 | Tunisia | 1.2% | 2020 | down 4.8% | falling |
| 59 | South Sudan | 1.2% | 2020 | down 65.5% | falling |
| 60 | Croatia | 1.2% | 2020 | up 3.7% | volatile |
| 61 | Thailand | 1.1% | 2020 | up 5.7% | rising |
| 62 | Fiji | 1.1% | 2020 | up 26.2% | falling |
| 63 | Qatar | 1.1% | 2020 | up 9.1% | volatile |
| 64 | Poland | 1.0% | 2020 | up 55.2% | falling |
| 65 | Guyana | 1.0% | 2020 | up 14.4% | falling |
| 66 | Kuwait | 1.0% | 2020 | down 28.7% | falling |
| 67 | United Arab Emirates | 1.0% | 2020 | down 12.5% | volatile |
| 68 | Serbia | 1.0% | 2020 | up 7.8% | volatile |
| 69 | Portugal | 1.0% | 2020 | down 38.5% | falling |
| 70 | France | 1.0% | 2020 | down 12.6% | falling |
| 71 | Estonia | 1.0% | 2020 | up 18.7% | rising |
| 72 | Gabon | 1.0% | 2020 | down 21.4% | falling |
| 73 | Eswatini | 1.0% | 1999 | down 18.9% | falling |
| 74 | Hungary | 1.0% | 2020 | up 22.1% | falling |
| 75 | Vietnam | 0.9% | 2020 | down 8.8% | falling |
| 76 | Peru | 0.9% | 2020 | down 20.4% | falling |
| 77 | Botswana | 0.9% | 2020 | down 29.4% | falling |
| 78 | Bahamas | 0.9% | 2020 | up 123.0% | volatile |
| 79 | Latvia | 0.9% | 2020 | up 110.8% | falling |
| 80 | Paraguay | 0.9% | 2020 | down 9.0% | falling |
| 81 | Zimbabwe | 0.9% | 2020 | down 13.3% | falling |
| 82 | Spain | 0.9% | 2020 | down 8.5% | falling |
| 83 | Angola | 0.9% | 2020 | down 26.8% | falling |
| 84 | Norway | 0.9% | 2020 | down 6.6% | falling |
| 85 | Suriname | 0.8% | 2020 | down 6.8% | falling |
| 86 | Chad | 0.8% | 2020 | down 1.8% | falling |
| 87 | United States | 0.8% | 2020 | down 15.5% | falling |
| 88 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.8% | 2020 | up 26.5% | volatile |
| 89 | Kyrgyzstan | 0.8% | 2020 | down 5.4% | rising |
| 90 | Malaysia | 0.8% | 2020 | down 23.3% | falling |
| 91 | Finland | 0.8% | 2020 | down 14.2% | falling |
| 92 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.8% | 2020 | up 26.6% | falling |
| 93 | Brazil | 0.8% | 2020 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 94 | Tajikistan | 0.7% | 2020 | down 6.9% | rising |
| 95 | Kazakhstan | 0.7% | 2020 | down 17.6% | falling |
| 96 | Malta | 0.7% | 2020 | down 39.1% | falling |
| 97 | Rwanda | 0.7% | 2020 | down 27.2% | volatile |
| 98 | Barbados | 0.7% | 2020 | up 70.4% | rising |
| 99 | Slovenia | 0.7% | 2020 | down 41.4% | falling |
| 100 | Slovakia | 0.7% | 2020 | up 12.9% | volatile |
| 101 | Albania | 0.6% | 2020 | down 44.8% | volatile |
| 102 | Mexico | 0.6% | 2020 | down 6.5% | rising |
| 103 | Guatemala | 0.6% | 2020 | down 0.9% | falling |
| 104 | Burundi | 0.6% | 2020 | down 53.4% | rising |
| 105 | Yemen | 0.6% | 2020 | down 74.7% | falling |
| 106 | India | 0.6% | 2020 | up 2.6% | rising |
| 107 | Gambia | 0.6% | 2020 | up 270.0% | volatile |
| 108 | Honduras | 0.6% | 2020 | down 9.7% | falling |
| 109 | Congo | 0.6% | 2020 | down 17.2% | falling |
| 110 | Mali | 0.5% | 2020 | up 165.6% | falling |
| 111 | Ecuador | 0.5% | 2020 | down 40.4% | falling |
| 112 | Central African Republic | 0.5% | 2020 | up 200.3% | rising |
| 113 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.5% | 2020 | down 53.3% | volatile |
| 114 | Argentina | 0.5% | 2020 | down 5.6% | falling |
| 115 | Uzbekistan | 0.5% | 2020 | down 33.4% | falling |
| 116 | Mauritius | 0.5% | 2020 | up 48.5% | rising |
| 117 | Cape Verde | 0.5% | 2020 | down 13.5% | falling |
| 118 | Czechia | 0.5% | 2020 | down 7.3% | volatile |
| 119 | Austria | 0.5% | 2020 | down 17.3% | falling |
| 120 | Denmark | 0.5% | 2020 | down 23.2% | falling |
| 121 | Indonesia | 0.5% | 2020 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 122 | Somalia | 0.5% | 2020 | up 410.2% | volatile |
| 123 | Belgium | 0.5% | 2020 | down 35.8% | volatile |
| 124 | United Kingdom | 0.4% | 2020 | down 18.1% | falling |
| 125 | Australia | 0.4% | 2020 | down 8.8% | falling |
| 126 | Germany | 0.4% | 2020 | down 29.8% | falling |
| 127 | Netherlands | 0.4% | 2020 | down 11.9% | falling |
| 128 | Costa Rica | 0.4% | 2020 | down 14.5% | falling |
| 129 | Jamaica | 0.4% | 2020 | up 76.6% | rising |
| 130 | Moldova | 0.4% | 2020 | down 21.0% | falling |
| 131 | Nicaragua | 0.4% | 2020 | down 18.3% | falling |
| 132 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 0.4% | 2020 | down 35.5% | rising |
| 133 | Switzerland | 0.4% | 2020 | down 29.5% | volatile |
| 134 | South Africa | 0.4% | 2020 | down 0.3% | volatile |
| 135 | Japan | 0.4% | 2020 | down 3.5% | rising |
| 136 | Togo | 0.4% | 2020 | down 15.9% | falling |
| 137 | Senegal | 0.4% | 2020 | down 30.2% | falling |
| 138 | Philippines | 0.4% | 2020 | down 15.0% | falling |
| 139 | Ireland | 0.4% | 2020 | down 21.2% | falling |
| 140 | East Timor | 0.4% | 2020 | up 15.1% | rising |
| 141 | Sierra Leone | 0.4% | 2020 | down 27.5% | falling |
| 142 | Canada | 0.4% | 2020 | up 1.2% | falling |
| 143 | New Zealand | 0.3% | 2020 | down 16.2% | falling |
| 144 | Cameroon | 0.3% | 2020 | up 24.6% | falling |
| 145 | China | 0.3% | 2020 | down 12.5% | falling |
| 146 | Bangladesh | 0.3% | 2020 | down 14.1% | rising |
| 147 | Guinea | 0.3% | 2020 | down 43.3% | falling |
| 148 | Luxembourg | 0.3% | 2020 | down 50.5% | falling |
| 149 | Ethiopia | 0.3% | 2020 | down 18.4% | volatile |
| 150 | Sweden | 0.3% | 2020 | down 35.9% | volatile |
| 151 | Cote d'Ivoire | 0.2% | 2020 | up 8.8% | volatile |
| 152 | Lesotho | 0.2% | 2020 | up 3.6% | flat |
| 153 | Zambia | 0.2% | 2020 | down 34.6% | falling |
| 154 | Uganda | 0.2% | 2020 | down 37.9% | falling |
| 155 | Nigeria | 0.2% | 2020 | up 6.8% | rising |
| 156 | Benin | 0.2% | 2020 | up 16.6% | falling |
| 157 | Malawi | 0.2% | 2020 | up 122.3% | falling |
| 158 | Equatorial Guinea | 0.2% | 2020 | down 45.8% | falling |
| 159 | Madagascar | 0.2% | 2020 | down 25.1% | falling |
| 160 | Ghana | 0.1% | 2020 | down 6.7% | rising |
| 161 | Papua New Guinea | 0.1% | 2020 | down 9.0% | falling |
| 162 | Burkina Faso | 0.1% | 2020 | down 25.3% | falling |
| 163 | Kenya | 0.1% | 2020 | down 33.0% | falling |
| 164 | Niger | 0.1% | 2020 | down 31.9% | falling |
| 165 | Tanzania | 0.1% | 2020 | down 27.2% | falling |
| 166 | Liberia | 0.1% | 2020 | down 24.0% | volatile |
| 167 | Mozambique | 0.1% | 2020 | down 23.6% | volatile |
| 168 | Haiti | 0.0% | 2020 | — | volatile |
| 169 | Iceland | 0.0% | 2020 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 169 | Libya | 0.0% | 2020 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 169 | Palestine | 0.0% | 2020 | down 100.0% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Arab World 2.3%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 2.1%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 2.1%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 2.1%
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 1.6%
- Other small states 1.5%
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 1.4%
- Small states 1.3%
- Low income 1.2%
- Europe & Central Asia 1.2%
- Central Europe and the Baltics 1.1%
- High income 1.0%
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. Labor force comprises all people who meet the International Labour Organization's definition of the economically active population.