Benin vs Somalia: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population

Benin
0.1%
in 2020
Somalia
0.1%
in 2020
Benin rank
153rd
Somalia rank
155th

Armed forces personnel as a share of total population over time

  • Benin
  • Somalia
0123198520022020

How they compare

Benin currently reports 0.1% against 0.1% in Somalia, a difference of 0.0%.

That makes Benin's figure about 1.1 times Somalia's.

The two have swapped places 5 times across 21 shared years of data; in 1985 it was Somalia ahead.

Benin ranks 153rd and Somalia ranks 155th of 173 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, Benin averaged higher in 1 and Somalia in 4.

Head to head by decade

Decade Benin Somalia Difference Ahead
1980s 0.1% 0.8% 0.7% Somalia
1990s 0.1% 2.2% 2.0% Somalia
2000s 0.1% 0.3% 0.2% Somalia
2010s 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% Somalia
2020s 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% Benin

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel as a share of total population, Benin or Somalia?
Benin, at 0.1% against 0.1% in Somalia as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel as a share of total population between Benin and Somalia?
0.0%, with Benin ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Benin and Somalia?
21 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do Benin and Somalia rank globally for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
Benin ranks 153rd and Somalia ranks 155th of 173 countries.
Where does this data come from?
The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Armed forces personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population
Unit
%
Source
The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
173 places, 5,352 data points, 1985–2020
Last refreshed

Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if their training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.