Colombia vs Mexico: Armed forces personnel
Colombia
428,000
in 2020
Mexico
341,000
in 2020
Colombia rank
17th
Mexico rank
19th
Armed forces personnel over time
- Colombia
- Mexico
How they compare
Colombia currently reports 428,000 against 341,000 in Mexico, a difference of 87,000.
That makes Colombia's figure about 1.3 times Mexico's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 33 shared years of data; in 1985 it was Mexico ahead.
Colombia ranks 17th and Mexico ranks 19th of 173 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Colombia averaged higher in 3 and Mexico in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Colombia | Mexico | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 78,600 | 141,550 | 62,950 | Mexico |
| 1990s | 180,830 | 182,777 | 1,947 | Mexico |
| 2000s | 341,063 | 242,895 | 98,168 | Colombia |
| 2010s | 463,918 | 333,685 | 130,233 | Colombia |
| 2020s | 428,000 | 341,000 | 87,000 | Colombia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, Colombia or Mexico?
- Colombia, at 428,000 against 341,000 in Mexico as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Colombia and Mexico?
- 87,000, with Colombia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Colombia and Mexico?
- 33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do Colombia and Mexico rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- Colombia ranks 17th and Mexico ranks 19th 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.