South Sudan vs Zimbabwe: Armed forces personnel
South Sudan
53,000
in 2020
Zimbabwe
51,000
in 2020
South Sudan rank
67th
Zimbabwe rank
69th
Armed forces personnel over time
- South Sudan
- Zimbabwe
How they compare
South Sudan currently reports 53,000 against 51,000 in Zimbabwe, a difference of 2,000.
Across all 11 years both countries report, South Sudan has been ahead every year.
South Sudan ranks 67th and Zimbabwe ranks 69th of 173 countries.
South Sudan has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Sudan | Zimbabwe | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 185,500 | 50,860 | 134,640 | South Sudan |
| 2020s | 53,000 | 51,000 | 2,000 | South Sudan |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, South Sudan or Zimbabwe?
- South Sudan, at 53,000 against 51,000 in Zimbabwe as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between South Sudan and Zimbabwe?
- 2,000, with South Sudan ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Sudan and Zimbabwe?
- 11 years are reported by both, from 2010 to 2020.
- How do South Sudan and Zimbabwe rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- South Sudan ranks 67th and Zimbabwe ranks 69th 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.