Mexico vs Venezuela: Armed forces personnel
Mexico
341,000
in 2020
Venezuela
343,000
in 2020
Mexico rank
19th
Venezuela rank
18th
Armed forces personnel over time
- Mexico
- Venezuela
How they compare
Venezuela currently reports 343,000 against 341,000 in Mexico, a difference of 2,000.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 32 shared years of data; in 1985 it was Mexico ahead.
Mexico ranks 19th and Venezuela ranks 18th of 173 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Mexico averaged higher in 4 and Venezuela in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Mexico | Venezuela | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 141,550 | 62,000 | 79,550 | Mexico |
| 1990s | 182,777 | 76,900 | 105,877 | Mexico |
| 2000s | 238,772 | 100,433 | 138,339 | Mexico |
| 2010s | 333,685 | 229,200 | 104,485 | Mexico |
| 2020s | 341,000 | 343,000 | 2,000 | Venezuela |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, Mexico or Venezuela?
- Venezuela, at 343,000 against 341,000 in Mexico as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Mexico and Venezuela?
- 2,000, with Venezuela ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Mexico and Venezuela?
- 32 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do Mexico and Venezuela rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- Mexico ranks 19th and Venezuela ranks 18th 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.