Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Bahamas

Bahamas: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.5% in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
0.5%
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
60th
of 173 countries
All-time high
1.0%
in 1996
All-time low
0.2%
in 1985
Years of data
27
1985–2020

Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Bahamas, 1985–2020

0.20.40.60.811985200220201985: 0.197 %1995: 0.697 %1996: 1 %1997: 1 %1998: 1 %1999: 1 %2000: 0.988 %2001: 0.976 %2002: 0.271 %2003: 0.268 %2004: 0.253 %2005: 0.25 %2006: 0.247 %2007: 0.243 %2008: 0.279 %2009: 0.237 %2010: 0.234 %2011: 0.229 %2012: 0.226 %2013: 0.343 %2014: 0.34 %2015: 0.337 %2016: 0.335 %2017: 0.256 %2018: 0.331 %2019: 0.507 %2020: 0.505 %

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

The most recent figure for armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Bahamas is 0.5%, measured in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 115.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Bahamas peaked at 1.0% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1985.

Bahamas ranks 60th of 173 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 1
1990s 1.0% 0.7% 1.0% 5
2000s 0.4% 0.2% 1.0% 10
2010s 0.3% 0.2% 0.5% 10
2020s 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 1

Countries ranked near Bahamas

  1. 57 Estonia 0.5% compare
  2. 58 Belize 0.5% compare
  3. 59 Croatia 0.5% compare
  4. 61 Portugal 0.5% compare
  5. 62 South Sudan 0.5% compare
  6. 63 Poland 0.5% compare

See the full ranking of 173 places →

More reference data data for Bahamas

All data for Bahamas →

Frequently asked questions

What is armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Bahamas?
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Bahamas was 0.5% 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 Bahamas?
The highest recorded value was 1.0% in 1996.
What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Bahamas?
The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1985.
How does Bahamas rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
Bahamas ranks 60th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Bahamas?
Over the last ten years it is up 115.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Bahamas 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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CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population
Unit
%
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
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
173 places, 5,352 data points, 1985–2020
Last refreshed

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.