North Korea vs Russia: Armed forces personnel
North Korea
1.47 million
in 2020
Russia
1.45 million
in 2020
North Korea rank
3rd
Russia rank
4th
Armed forces personnel over time
- North Korea
- Russia
How they compare
North Korea currently reports 1.47 million against 1.45 million in Russia, a difference of 15,000.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 29 shared years of data; in 1992 it was Russia ahead.
North Korea ranks 3rd and Russia ranks 4th of 173 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, North Korea averaged higher in 2 and Russia in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | North Korea | Russia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.19 million | 1.65 million | 460,638 | Russia |
| 2000s | 1.29 million | 1.44 million | 146,620 | Russia |
| 2010s | 1.42 million | 1.40 million | 13,900 | North Korea |
| 2020s | 1.47 million | 1.45 million | 15,000 | North Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, North Korea or Russia?
- North Korea, at 1.47 million against 1.45 million in Russia as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between North Korea and Russia?
- 15,000, with North Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for North Korea and Russia?
- 29 years are reported by both, from 1992 to 2020.
- How do North Korea and Russia rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- North Korea ranks 3rd and Russia ranks 4th of 173 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Armed forces personnel. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.