Ethiopia vs Malaysia: Armed forces personnel
Ethiopia
138,000
in 2020
Malaysia
136,000
in 2020
Ethiopia rank
44th
Malaysia rank
45th
Armed forces personnel over time
- Ethiopia
- Malaysia
How they compare
Ethiopia currently reports 138,000 against 136,000 in Malaysia, a difference of 2,000.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 32 shared years of data; in 1985 it was Ethiopia ahead.
Ethiopia ranks 44th and Malaysia ranks 45th of 173 countries.
Ethiopia has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ethiopia | Malaysia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 233,500 | 112,500 | 121,000 | Ethiopia |
| 1990s | 153,550 | 128,340 | 25,210 | Ethiopia |
| 2000s | 199,878 | 127,500 | 72,378 | Ethiopia |
| 2010s | 138,000 | 134,320 | 3,680 | Ethiopia |
| 2020s | 138,000 | 136,000 | 2,000 | Ethiopia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, Ethiopia or Malaysia?
- Ethiopia, at 138,000 against 136,000 in Malaysia as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Ethiopia and Malaysia?
- 2,000, with Ethiopia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ethiopia and Malaysia?
- 32 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do Ethiopia and Malaysia rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- Ethiopia ranks 44th and Malaysia ranks 45th 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.