Philippines vs United Kingdom: Armed forces personnel
Philippines
157,000
in 2020
United Kingdom
153,000
in 2020
Philippines rank
40th
United Kingdom rank
41st
Armed forces personnel over time
- Philippines
- United Kingdom
How they compare
Philippines currently reports 157,000 against 153,000 in United Kingdom, a difference of 4,000.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 33 shared years of data; in 1985 it was United Kingdom ahead.
Philippines ranks 40th and United Kingdom ranks 41st of 173 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Philippines averaged higher in 2 and United Kingdom in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Philippines | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 113,400 | 326,000 | 212,600 | United Kingdom |
| 1990s | 129,880 | 253,800 | 123,920 | United Kingdom |
| 2000s | 149,900 | 194,837 | 44,937 | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 161,985 | 157,072 | 4,913 | Philippines |
| 2020s | 157,000 | 153,000 | 4,000 | Philippines |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, Philippines or United Kingdom?
- Philippines, at 157,000 against 153,000 in United Kingdom as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Philippines and United Kingdom?
- 4,000, with Philippines ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Philippines and United Kingdom?
- 33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do Philippines and United Kingdom rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- Philippines ranks 40th and United Kingdom ranks 41st of 173 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) β 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.