Denmark vs Somalia: Armed forces personnel

Denmark
15,000
in 2020
Somalia
14,000
in 2020
Denmark rank
117th
Somalia rank
120th

Armed forces personnel over time

  • Denmark
  • Somalia
050.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k250.0k198520022020

How they compare

Denmark currently reports 15,000 against 14,000 in Somalia, a difference of 1,000.

That makes Denmark'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.

Denmark ranks 117th and Somalia ranks 120th of 173 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, Denmark averaged higher in 2 and Somalia in 3.

Head to head by decade

Decade Denmark Somalia Difference Ahead
1980s 30,300 54,850 24,550 Somalia
1990s 31,500 166,167 134,667 Somalia
2000s 20,254 26,000 5,746 Somalia
2010s 16,388 15,260 1,128 Denmark
2020s 15,000 14,000 1,000 Denmark

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel, Denmark or Somalia?
Denmark, at 15,000 against 14,000 in Somalia as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Denmark and Somalia?
1,000, with Denmark ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Denmark and Somalia?
21 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do Denmark and Somalia rank globally for armed forces personnel?
Denmark ranks 117th and Somalia ranks 120th 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.

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Denmark vs Somalia: Armed forces personnel. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel/denmark/somalia-fed-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Armed forces personnel
Source
The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed 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.