Armed forces personnel, total in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Armed forces personnel, total was 9,000 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel, total in Sierra Leone, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Analysis
In 2020, armed forces personnel, total in Sierra Leone stood at 9,000.
The figure is down 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in Sierra Leone peaked at 15,800 in 1997 and was at its lowest, 3,100, in 1985.
Sierra Leone ranks 136th of 173 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3,550 | 3,100 | 4,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 7,540 | 3,800 | 15,800 | 10 |
| 2000s | 10,530 | 3,800 | 13,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9,400 | 8,500 | 10,500 | 10 |
| 2020s | 9,000 | 9,000 | 9,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More public sector data for Sierra Leone
- Arms imports 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2016)
- Military expenditure 0.5% (2024)
- Military expenditure 36.45 million current USD (2024)
- Armed forces personnel 0.4% (2020)
- Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 1 data use score 70 scale 0-100 (2024)
- Intentional homicides 2.22 per 100,000 people (2020)
- Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 3 data products score 68.65 scale 0-100 (2024)
- Military expenditure 817.89 million current LCU (2024)
- Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments 29.5% (2025)
- Military expenditure 0.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total in Sierra Leone?
- Armed forces personnel, total in Sierra Leone was 9,000 in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 15,800 in 1997.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,100 in 1985.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for armed forces personnel, total?
- Sierra Leone ranks 136th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.