Indonesia vs Vietnam: Armed forces personnel
Indonesia
676,000
in 2020
Vietnam
522,000
in 2020
Indonesia rank
9th
Vietnam rank
12th
Armed forces personnel over time
- Indonesia
- Vietnam
How they compare
Indonesia currently reports 676,000 against 522,000 in Vietnam, a difference of 154,000.
That makes Indonesia's figure about 1.3 times Vietnam's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 32 shared years of data; in 1985 it was Vietnam ahead.
Indonesia ranks 9th and Vietnam ranks 12th of 173 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Indonesia averaged higher in 3 and Vietnam in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Indonesia | Vietnam | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 281,550 | 1.14 million | 856,950 | Vietnam |
| 1990s | 382,270 | 735,300 | 353,030 | Vietnam |
| 2000s | 542,556 | 507,889 | 34,667 | Indonesia |
| 2010s | 666,650 | 522,000 | 144,650 | Indonesia |
| 2020s | 676,000 | 522,000 | 154,000 | Indonesia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, Indonesia or Vietnam?
- Indonesia, at 676,000 against 522,000 in Vietnam as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Indonesia and Vietnam?
- 154,000, with Indonesia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Indonesia and Vietnam?
- 32 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do Indonesia and Vietnam rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- Indonesia ranks 9th and Vietnam ranks 12th 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.