Pakistan vs United States: Armed forces personnel
Pakistan
943,000
in 2020
United States
1.40 million
in 2020
Pakistan rank
6th
United States rank
5th
Armed forces personnel over time
- Pakistan
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 1.40 million against 943,000 in Pakistan, a difference of 452,000.
That makes United States's figure about 1.5 times Pakistan's.
Across all 33 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.
Pakistan ranks 6th and United States ranks 5th of 173 countries.
United States has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Pakistan | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 501,400 | 2.20 million | 1.69 million | United States |
| 1990s | 703,800 | 1.77 million | 1.06 million | United States |
| 2000s | 915,400 | 1.50 million | 584,450 | United States |
| 2010s | 940,880 | 1.42 million | 480,982 | United States |
| 2020s | 943,000 | 1.40 million | 452,000 | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, Pakistan or United States?
- United States, at 1.40 million against 943,000 in Pakistan as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Pakistan and United States?
- 452,000, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Pakistan and United States?
- 33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do Pakistan and United States rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- Pakistan ranks 6th and United States ranks 5th 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.