Eswatini vs Lesotho: Armed forces personnel
Eswatini
3,000
in 1999
Lesotho
2,000
in 2020
Eswatini rank
153rd
Lesotho rank
156th
Armed forces personnel over time
- Eswatini
- Lesotho
How they compare
Eswatini currently reports 3,000 against 2,000 in Lesotho, a difference of 1,000.
That makes Eswatini's figure about 1.5 times Lesotho's.
Across all 11 years both countries report, Eswatini has been ahead every year.
Eswatini ranks 153rd and Lesotho ranks 156th of 173 countries.
Eswatini has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Eswatini | Lesotho | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | Eswatini |
| 1990s | 3,000 | 2,000 | 1,000 | Eswatini |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, Eswatini or Lesotho?
- Eswatini, at 3,000 against 2,000 in Lesotho as of 1999.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Eswatini and Lesotho?
- 1,000, with Eswatini ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Eswatini and Lesotho?
- 11 years are reported by both, from 1989 to 1999.
- How do Eswatini and Lesotho rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- Eswatini ranks 153rd and Lesotho ranks 156th 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.