Brazil vs Indonesia: Armed forces personnel
Brazil
762,000
in 2020
Indonesia
676,000
in 2020
Brazil rank
8th
Indonesia rank
9th
Armed forces personnel over time
- Brazil
- Indonesia
How they compare
Brazil currently reports 762,000 against 676,000 in Indonesia, a difference of 86,000.
That makes Brazil's figure about 1.1 times Indonesia's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 33 shared years of data; in 1985 it was Indonesia ahead.
Brazil ranks 8th and Indonesia ranks 9th of 173 countries.
Brazil has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Brazil | Indonesia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 297,500 | 281,550 | 15,950 | Brazil |
| 1990s | 491,495 | 382,270 | 109,225 | Brazil |
| 2000s | 696,228 | 546,500 | 149,728 | Brazil |
| 2010s | 729,592 | 666,650 | 62,942 | Brazil |
| 2020s | 762,000 | 676,000 | 86,000 | Brazil |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, Brazil or Indonesia?
- Brazil, at 762,000 against 676,000 in Indonesia as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Brazil and Indonesia?
- 86,000, with Brazil ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Brazil and Indonesia?
- 33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do Brazil and Indonesia rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- Brazil ranks 8th and Indonesia ranks 9th 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.