Saudi Arabia vs Sri Lanka: Armed forces personnel
Saudi Arabia
282,000
in 2020
Sri Lanka
317,000
in 2020
Saudi Arabia rank
25th
Sri Lanka rank
22nd
Armed forces personnel over time
- Saudi Arabia
- Sri Lanka
How they compare
Sri Lanka currently reports 317,000 against 282,000 in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 35,000.
That makes Sri Lanka's figure about 1.1 times Saudi Arabia's.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 33 shared years of data; in 1985 it was Saudi Arabia ahead.
Saudi Arabia ranks 25th and Sri Lanka ranks 22nd of 173 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Saudi Arabia averaged higher in 3 and Sri Lanka in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Saudi Arabia | Sri Lanka | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 72,250 | 21,800 | 50,450 | Saudi Arabia |
| 1990s | 173,500 | 159,340 | 14,160 | Saudi Arabia |
| 2000s | 225,920 | 220,170 | 5,750 | Saudi Arabia |
| 2010s | 250,900 | 263,690 | 12,790 | Sri Lanka |
| 2020s | 282,000 | 317,000 | 35,000 | Sri Lanka |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, Saudi Arabia or Sri Lanka?
- Sri Lanka, at 317,000 against 282,000 in Saudi Arabia as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka?
- 35,000, with Sri Lanka ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka?
- 33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 25th and Sri Lanka ranks 22nd 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.