Algeria vs France: Armed forces personnel
Algeria
326,000
in 2020
France
304,000
in 2020
Algeria rank
21st
France rank
23rd
Armed forces personnel over time
- Algeria
- France
How they compare
Algeria currently reports 326,000 against 304,000 in France, a difference of 22,000.
That makes Algeria's figure about 1.1 times France's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 33 shared years of data; in 1985 it was France ahead.
Algeria ranks 21st and France ranks 23rd of 173 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Algeria averaged higher in 2 and France in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Algeria | France | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 148,000 | 509,150 | 361,150 | France |
| 1990s | 179,940 | 495,660 | 315,720 | France |
| 2000s | 321,020 | 360,497 | 39,477 | France |
| 2010s | 317,140 | 315,882 | 1,258 | Algeria |
| 2020s | 326,000 | 304,000 | 22,000 | Algeria |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, Algeria or France?
- Algeria, at 326,000 against 304,000 in France as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Algeria and France?
- 22,000, with Algeria ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Algeria and France?
- 33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do Algeria and France rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- Algeria ranks 21st and France ranks 23rd of 173 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Armed forces personnel. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
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.