Armed forces personnel, total in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Armed forces personnel, total was 532,000 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel, total in Africa Western and Central, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel, total in Africa Western and Central is 532,000, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 12.4% on the previous year and up 36.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in Africa Western and Central peaked at 607,000 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 218,530, in 1985.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 272,265 | 218,530 | 326,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 330,562 | 268,000 | 375,270 | 10 |
| 2000s | 397,826 | 337,700 | 413,350 | 9 |
| 2010s | 446,751 | 384,420 | 607,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 532,000 | 532,000 | 532,000 | 1 |
More public sector data for Africa Western and Central
- Arms imports 360.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Taxes on income, profits and capital gains 23.5% (2021)
- Taxes on goods and services 35.3% (2021)
- Interest payments 9.5% (2021)
- Grants and other revenue 23.9% (2021)
- Interest payments 10.5% (2021)
- Other taxes 2.0% (2021)
- Compensation of employees 37.2% (2021)
- Goods and services expense 23.2% (2021)
- Taxes on international trade 11.8% (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total in Africa Western and Central?
- Armed forces personnel, total in Africa Western and Central was 532,000 in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 607,000 in 2019.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 218,530 in 1985.
- Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central 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.