Djibouti vs Somalia: Armed forces personnel
Djibouti
13,000
in 2020
Somalia
14,000
in 2020
Djibouti rank
121st
Somalia rank
120th
Armed forces personnel over time
- Djibouti
- Somalia
How they compare
Somalia currently reports 14,000 against 13,000 in Djibouti, a difference of 1,000.
That makes Somalia's figure about 1.1 times Djibouti's.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 21 shared years of data; in 1985 it was Somalia ahead.
Djibouti ranks 121st and Somalia ranks 120th of 173 regions.
Somalia has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Djibouti | Somalia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3,500 | 54,850 | 51,350 | Somalia |
| 1990s | 11,167 | 166,167 | 155,000 | Somalia |
| 2000s | 12,775 | 26,000 | 13,225 | Somalia |
| 2010s | 13,025 | 15,260 | 2,235 | Somalia |
| 2020s | 13,000 | 14,000 | 1,000 | Somalia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, Djibouti or Somalia?
- Somalia, at 14,000 against 13,000 in Djibouti as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Djibouti and Somalia?
- 1,000, with Somalia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Djibouti and Somalia?
- 21 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do Djibouti and Somalia rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- Djibouti ranks 121st and Somalia ranks 120th of 173 regions.
- 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.