Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.4% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan stood at 0.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 42.5% on the previous year and down 61.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan peaked at 2.4% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2005.
That places Afghanistan 73rd out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.4% | — |
| 1989 | 0.5% | +12.6% |
| 1990 | 0.5% | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 0.4% | -23.6% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | -7.8% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -11.1% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | -8.0% |
| 1995 | 2.2% | +710.5% |
| 1996 | 2.4% | +7.6% |
| 1997 | 2.3% | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 2.1% | -10.2% |
| 1999 | 2.0% | -3.7% |
| 2000 | 2.0% | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 0.6% | -71.8% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 0.1% | -80.0% |
| 2005 | 0.1% | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | +81.3% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 0.4% | +80.3% |
| 2009 | 0.9% | +162.3% |
| 2010 | 1.1% | +16.5% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | +6.9% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | -4.6% |
| 2013 | 1.0% | -5.5% |
| 2014 | 0.9% | -9.9% |
| 2015 | 0.9% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 0.9% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 0.9% | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 0.7% | -17.9% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | -42.5% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 0.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.2%, 2.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 0.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.7%, 57% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +710.5% | 0.3% | 2.2% |
| 2009 | +162.3% | 0.4% | 0.9% |
| 2006 | +81.3% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2008 | +80.3% | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| 2004 | -80.0% | 0.6% | 0.1% |
| 2002 | -71.8% | 2.0% | 0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 1.3% | 0.3% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.1% | 2.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More reference data data for Afghanistan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.8991 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4362 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 18.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.38 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan was 0.4% in 2020, according to The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 2.4% in 1996.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2005.
- How does Afghanistan rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
- Afghanistan ranks 73rd out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 61.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Armed forces personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.