Armed forces personnel, total 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.
Countries reporting
173
Highest
3.07 million
India
Lowest
0
Seychelles
Median
31,000
Years covered
36
1985–2020
Data points
6,823
What the numbers show
Armed forces personnel, total is currently reported for 173 countries. The highest value is 3.07 million in India; the lowest is 0 in Seychelles.
The median across all reporting countries is 31,000, and the mean is 157,428.
Over the past decade 86 countries rose and 77 fell. The largest increase was in Somalia (up 600.0%), and the largest decrease in Antigua and Barbuda (down 100.0%).
Armed forces personnel, total: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 3.07 million | 2020 | up 16.9% | rising |
| 2 | China | 2.54 million | 2020 | down 13.9% | falling |
| 3 | North Korea | 1.47 million | 2020 | up 6.5% | rising |
| 4 | Russia | 1.45 million | 2020 | up 1.7% | falling |
| 5 | United States | 1.40 million | 2020 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 6 | Pakistan | 943,000 | 2020 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 7 | Egypt | 836,000 | 2020 | up 0.1% | rising |
| 8 | Brazil | 762,000 | 2020 | up 6.8% | rising |
| 9 | Indonesia | 676,000 | 2020 | up 16.2% | rising |
| 10 | Iran | 650,000 | 2020 | up 15.5% | falling |
| 11 | South Korea | 569,000 | 2020 | down 13.7% | falling |
| 12 | Vietnam | 522,000 | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 13 | Turkey | 512,000 | 2020 | down 16.4% | falling |
| 14 | Myanmar | 463,000 | 2020 | down 9.8% | rising |
| 15 | Iraq | 459,000 | 2020 | down 42.8% | volatile |
| 16 | Thailand | 455,000 | 2020 | up 8.4% | rising |
| 17 | Colombia | 428,000 | 2020 | down 3.1% | rising |
| 18 | Venezuela | 343,000 | 2020 | up 198.3% | volatile |
| 19 | Mexico | 341,000 | 2020 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 20 | Italy | 338,000 | 2020 | down 5.9% | falling |
| 21 | Algeria | 326,000 | 2020 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 22 | Sri Lanka | 317,000 | 2020 | up 42.1% | rising |
| 23 | France | 304,000 | 2020 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 24 | Ukraine | 298,000 | 2020 | up 38.7% | falling |
| 25 | Saudi Arabia | 282,000 | 2020 | up 13.3% | rising |
| 26 | Syria | 269,000 | 2020 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 27 | Japan | 261,000 | 2020 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 28 | Morocco | 246,000 | 2020 | up 0.1% | rising |
| 29 | Bangladesh | 227,000 | 2020 | up 2.7% | rising |
| 30 | Nigeria | 223,000 | 2020 | up 37.7% | rising |
| 31 | Eritrea | 202,000 | 2020 | up 0.1% | rising |
| 32 | Spain | 199,000 | 2020 | down 10.8% | falling |
| 33 | Cambodia | 191,000 | 2020 | down 0.2% | rising |
| 34 | Poland | 189,000 | 2020 | up 55.7% | falling |
| 35 | Germany | 183,000 | 2020 | down 27.2% | falling |
| 36 | Israel | 178,000 | 2020 | down 3.5% | flat |
| 37 | Afghanistan | 165,000 | 2020 | down 46.2% | volatile |
| 38 | Belarus | 158,000 | 2020 | down 13.6% | rising |
| 38 | Peru | 158,000 | 2020 | down 17.7% | rising |
| 40 | Philippines | 157,000 | 2020 | down 5.1% | rising |
| 41 | United Kingdom | 153,000 | 2020 | down 12.1% | falling |
| 42 | Greece | 147,000 | 2020 | down 1.8% | falling |
| 43 | Sudan | 144,000 | 2020 | up 13.6% | rising |
| 44 | Ethiopia | 138,000 | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 45 | Malaysia | 136,000 | 2020 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 46 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 134,000 | 2020 | down 15.7% | rising |
| 47 | Laos | 129,000 | 2020 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 48 | Romania | 128,000 | 2020 | down 16.8% | falling |
| 49 | Angola | 117,000 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 50 | Jordan | 116,000 | 2020 | up 5.0% | flat |
| 51 | Chile | 114,000 | 2020 | up 9.9% | rising |
| 52 | Nepal | 112,000 | 2020 | down 29.0% | rising |
| 53 | Argentina | 103,000 | 2020 | down 1.3% | rising |
| 54 | South Africa | 89,000 | 2020 | up 15.4% | volatile |
| 55 | Azerbaijan | 82,000 | 2020 | up 0.1% | flat |
| 56 | Lebanon | 80,000 | 2020 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 57 | Cuba | 76,000 | 2020 | up 0.7% | volatile |
| 58 | Canada | 72,000 | 2020 | up 9.6% | falling |
| 59 | Bolivia | 71,000 | 2020 | down 14.7% | rising |
| 59 | Dominican Republic | 71,000 | 2020 | up 79.7% | rising |
| 59 | Kazakhstan | 71,000 | 2020 | down 11.8% | rising |
| 62 | Uzbekistan | 68,000 | 2020 | down 21.8% | rising |
| 63 | United Arab Emirates | 63,000 | 2020 | up 23.5% | rising |
| 64 | Australia | 60,000 | 2020 | up 6.1% | falling |
| 65 | Singapore | 59,000 | 2020 | down 60.0% | rising |
| 66 | Turkmenistan | 57,000 | 2020 | up 159.1% | rising |
| 67 | South Sudan | 53,000 | 2020 | down 62.1% | falling |
| 68 | Portugal | 52,000 | 2020 | down 42.4% | falling |
| 69 | Zimbabwe | 51,000 | 2020 | up 0.4% | flat |
| 70 | Tunisia | 48,000 | 2020 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 71 | Armenia | 47,000 | 2020 | down 15.4% | rising |
| 71 | Oman | 47,000 | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 73 | Hungary | 46,000 | 2020 | up 33.0% | falling |
| 73 | Uganda | 46,000 | 2020 | down 1.7% | falling |
| 75 | Chad | 45,000 | 2020 | up 29.1% | rising |
| 76 | Guatemala | 43,000 | 2020 | up 25.7% | falling |
| 77 | Ecuador | 42,000 | 2020 | down 28.8% | falling |
| 77 | El Salvador | 42,000 | 2020 | up 29.2% | falling |
| 79 | Mali | 41,000 | 2020 | up 237.4% | rising |
| 79 | Netherlands | 41,000 | 2020 | down 5.3% | falling |
| 81 | Yemen | 40,000 | 2020 | down 71.0% | falling |
| 82 | Bulgaria | 37,000 | 2020 | down 43.4% | falling |
| 82 | Lithuania | 37,000 | 2020 | up 46.6% | rising |
| 84 | Rwanda | 35,000 | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 85 | Cameroon | 34,000 | 2020 | up 46.6% | rising |
| 86 | Serbia | 32,000 | 2020 | up 9.9% | volatile |
| 87 | Burundi | 31,000 | 2020 | down 39.3% | rising |
| 88 | Paraguay | 29,000 | 2020 | up 13.9% | rising |
| 89 | Panama | 28,000 | 2020 | up 133.3% | rising |
| 89 | Tanzania | 28,000 | 2020 | down 1.4% | falling |
| 91 | Cote d'Ivoire | 27,000 | 2020 | up 45.6% | volatile |
| 91 | Czechia | 27,000 | 2020 | down 5.3% | volatile |
| 93 | Georgia | 26,000 | 2020 | down 19.6% | rising |
| 94 | Kuwait | 25,000 | 2020 | up 10.6% | rising |
| 94 | Norway | 25,000 | 2020 | up 2.2% | falling |
| 96 | Belgium | 24,000 | 2020 | down 32.8% | falling |
| 96 | Kenya | 24,000 | 2020 | down 17.6% | rising |
| 98 | Austria | 23,000 | 2020 | down 10.7% | falling |
| 98 | Honduras | 23,000 | 2020 | up 15.0% | rising |
| 100 | Finland | 22,000 | 2020 | down 11.9% | falling |
| 100 | Madagascar | 22,000 | 2020 | up 1.9% | falling |
| 100 | Qatar | 22,000 | 2020 | up 86.4% | rising |
| 100 | Uruguay | 22,000 | 2020 | down 13.5% | falling |
| 104 | Kyrgyzstan | 21,000 | 2020 | up 2.9% | rising |
| 104 | Mauritania | 21,000 | 2020 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 106 | Switzerland | 20,000 | 2020 | down 20.9% | volatile |
| 106 | Croatia | 20,000 | 2020 | down 7.4% | volatile |
| 108 | Bahrain | 19,000 | 2020 | down 2.4% | rising |
| 108 | Senegal | 19,000 | 2020 | up 2.0% | rising |
| 110 | Mongolia | 18,000 | 2020 | up 4.7% | falling |
| 110 | Slovakia | 18,000 | 2020 | up 13.9% | falling |
| 112 | Tajikistan | 17,000 | 2020 | up 4.3% | rising |
| 113 | Ghana | 16,000 | 2020 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 113 | North Macedonia | 16,000 | 2020 | up 100.0% | falling |
| 113 | Namibia | 16,000 | 2020 | up 5.3% | rising |
| 113 | Zambia | 16,000 | 2020 | down 3.0% | falling |
| 117 | Denmark | 15,000 | 2020 | down 19.5% | falling |
| 117 | Malawi | 15,000 | 2020 | up 183.0% | rising |
| 117 | Sweden | 15,000 | 2020 | down 29.1% | volatile |
| 120 | Somalia | 14,000 | 2020 | up 600.0% | volatile |
| 121 | Cyprus | 13,000 | 2020 | up 2.0% | rising |
| 121 | Djibouti | 13,000 | 2020 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 121 | Guinea | 13,000 | 2020 | down 32.6% | falling |
| 124 | Benin | 12,000 | 2020 | up 65.5% | rising |
| 124 | Congo | 12,000 | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 124 | Montenegro | 12,000 | 2020 | down 8.3% | falling |
| 124 | Nicaragua | 12,000 | 2020 | unchanged | volatile |
| 128 | Burkina Faso | 11,000 | 2020 | down 3.9% | rising |
| 128 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 11,000 | 2020 | up 4.0% | volatile |
| 128 | Mozambique | 11,000 | 2020 | down 1.8% | volatile |
| 131 | Central African Republic | 10,000 | 2020 | up 217.5% | rising |
| 131 | Costa Rica | 10,000 | 2020 | up 2.0% | falling |
| 131 | Niger | 10,000 | 2020 | down 6.5% | rising |
| 131 | New Zealand | 10,000 | 2020 | up 3.4% | falling |
| 131 | Togo | 10,000 | 2020 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 136 | Botswana | 9,000 | 2020 | down 14.3% | rising |
| 136 | Ireland | 9,000 | 2020 | down 14.0% | falling |
| 136 | Latvia | 9,000 | 2020 | up 95.7% | falling |
| 136 | Sierra Leone | 9,000 | 2020 | down 14.3% | rising |
| 140 | Albania | 8,000 | 2020 | down 45.7% | volatile |
| 140 | Brunei | 8,000 | 2020 | down 13.5% | rising |
| 142 | Estonia | 7,000 | 2020 | up 21.7% | rising |
| 142 | Gabon | 7,000 | 2020 | up 4.5% | falling |
| 142 | Slovenia | 7,000 | 2020 | down 42.1% | falling |
| 145 | Bhutan | 6,000 | 2000 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 145 | Jamaica | 6,000 | 2020 | up 112.0% | rising |
| 145 | Moldova | 6,000 | 2020 | down 22.4% | falling |
| 148 | Trinidad and Tobago | 5,000 | 2020 | up 23.1% | rising |
| 149 | Fiji | 4,000 | 2020 | up 14.3% | falling |
| 149 | Gambia | 4,000 | 2020 | up 400.0% | volatile |
| 149 | Guinea-Bissau | 4,000 | 2020 | down 38.1% | falling |
| 149 | Papua New Guinea | 4,000 | 2020 | up 29.0% | falling |
| 153 | Guyana | 3,000 | 2020 | up 15.4% | falling |
| 153 | Mauritius | 3,000 | 2020 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 153 | Eswatini | 3,000 | 1999 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 156 | Bahamas | 2,000 | 2020 | up 132.6% | volatile |
| 156 | Belize | 2,000 | 2020 | up 90.5% | rising |
| 156 | Liberia | 2,000 | 2020 | down 2.0% | volatile |
| 156 | Lesotho | 2,000 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Malta | 2,000 | 2020 | down 6.0% | rising |
| 156 | Suriname | 2,000 | 2020 | up 8.7% | falling |
| 156 | East Timor | 2,000 | 2020 | up 50.2% | rising |
| 163 | Barbados | 1,000 | 2020 | up 63.9% | rising |
| 163 | Cape Verde | 1,000 | 2020 | down 16.7% | volatile |
| 163 | Equatorial Guinea | 1,000 | 2020 | down 24.2% | falling |
| 163 | Haiti | 1,000 | 2020 | — | volatile |
| 163 | Luxembourg | 1,000 | 2020 | down 33.9% | rising |
| 163 | Sao Tome and Principe | 1,000 | 1999 | unchanged | flat |
| 169 | Antigua and Barbuda | 0 | 2020 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 169 | Iceland | 0 | 2020 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 169 | Libya | 0 | 2020 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 169 | Palestine | 0 | 2020 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 169 | Seychelles | 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.
- World 27.41 million
- IDA & IBRD total 20.87 million
- Low & middle income 20.41 million
- Middle income 17.48 million
- IBRD only 16.35 million
- Early-demographic dividend 11.03 million
- Upper middle income 9.92 million
- Late-demographic dividend 9.50 million
- East Asia & Pacific 7.91 million
- Lower middle income 7.56 million
- High income 7.00 million
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 6.76 million
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.