Armed forces personnel, total in Pakistan
Pakistan: Armed forces personnel, total was 943,000 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel, total in Pakistan, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel, total in Pakistan is 943,000, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in Pakistan peaked at 947,800 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 482,800, in 1985.
Pakistan ranks 6th of 173 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 501,400 | 482,800 | 520,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 703,800 | 550,000 | 846,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 915,400 | 900,000 | 923,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 940,880 | 925,800 | 947,800 | 10 |
| 2020s | 943,000 | 943,000 | 943,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More public sector data for Pakistan
- Arms imports 982.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure 2.7% (2024)
- Military expenditure 10.17 billion current USD (2024)
- Armed forces personnel 1.3% (2020)
- Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 1 data use score 90 scale 0-100 (2024)
- Intentional homicides 4.33 per 100,000 people (2023)
- Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 3 data products score 77.83 scale 0-100 (2024)
- Military expenditure 2.83 trillion current LCU (2024)
- Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments 17.0% (2025)
- Military expenditure 13.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total in Pakistan?
- Armed forces personnel, total in Pakistan was 943,000 in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 947,800 in 2012.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 482,800 in 1985.
- How does Pakistan rank for armed forces personnel, total?
- Pakistan ranks 6th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.