Armed forces personnel, total in Syria
Syria: Armed forces personnel, total was 269,000 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel, total in Syria, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel, total in Syria is 269,000, measured in 2020.
The figure is down 33.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in Syria peaked at 531,000 in 1995 and was at its lowest, 178,000, in 2011.
That places Syria 26th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 401,250 | 400,000 | 402,500 | 2 |
| 1990s | 429,200 | 320,000 | 531,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 414,480 | 401,000 | 429,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 256,800 | 178,000 | 403,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 269,000 | 269,000 | 269,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More public sector data for Syria
- Arms imports 7.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2021)
- Military expenditure 4.1% (2010)
- Military expenditure 2.49 billion current USD (2011)
- Armed forces personnel 5.4% (2020)
- Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 1 data use score 26.6 scale 0-100 (2024)
- Intentional homicides 2.06 per 100,000 people (2010)
- Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 3 data products score 57.89 scale 0-100 (2024)
- Military expenditure 120.29 billion current LCU (2011)
- Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments 4.9% (2025)
- Military expenditure 13.6% (2010)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total in Syria?
- Armed forces personnel, total in Syria was 269,000 in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 531,000 in 1995.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 178,000 in 2011.
- How does Syria rank for armed forces personnel, total?
- Syria ranks 26th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Syria 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.