Ethiopia vs Sudan: Armed forces personnel
Ethiopia
138,000
in 2020
Sudan
144,000
in 2020
Ethiopia rank
44th
Sudan rank
43rd
Armed forces personnel over time
- Ethiopia
- Sudan
How they compare
Sudan currently reports 144,000 against 138,000 in Ethiopia, a difference of 6,000.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 32 shared years of data; in 1985 it was Ethiopia ahead.
Ethiopia ranks 44th and Sudan ranks 43rd of 173 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Ethiopia averaged higher in 3 and Sudan in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ethiopia | Sudan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 233,500 | 60,800 | 172,700 | Ethiopia |
| 1990s | 153,550 | 92,760 | 60,790 | Ethiopia |
| 2000s | 199,878 | 122,978 | 76,900 | Ethiopia |
| 2010s | 138,000 | 194,490 | 56,490 | Sudan |
| 2020s | 138,000 | 144,000 | 6,000 | Sudan |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, Ethiopia or Sudan?
- Sudan, at 144,000 against 138,000 in Ethiopia as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Ethiopia and Sudan?
- 6,000, with Sudan ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ethiopia and Sudan?
- 32 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do Ethiopia and Sudan rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- Ethiopia ranks 44th and Sudan ranks 43rd 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.