Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Burundi

Burundi: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.2% in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
0.2%
Change on year
down 41.0%
World rank
107th
of 173 countries
All-time high
1.1%
in 2004
All-time low
0.1%
in 1985
Years of data
32
1985–2020

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

00.250.50.7511985200220201985: 0.103 %1989: 0.201 %1990: 0.215 %1991: 0.21 %1992: 0.222 %1993: 0.229 %1994: 0.298 %1995: 0.241 %1996: 0.362 %1997: 0.362 %1998: 0.703 %1999: 0.718 %2000: 0.703 %2001: 0.769 %2002: 0.747 %2003: 0.795 %2004: 1.1 %2005: 1.1 %2007: 0.625 %2008: 0.6 %2009: 0.571 %2010: 0.544 %2011: 0.525 %2012: 0.506 %2013: 0.489 %2014: 0.473 %2015: 0.371 %2016: 0.454 %2017: 0.269 %2018: 0.43 %2019: 0.416 %2020: 0.246 %

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

Burundi recorded 0.2% for armed forces personnel as a share of total population in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 41.0% on the previous year and down 54.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Burundi peaked at 1.1% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1985.

That places Burundi 107th 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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.2% 0.1% 0.2% 2
1990s 0.4% 0.2% 0.7% 10
2000s 0.8% 0.6% 1.1% 9
2010s 0.4% 0.3% 0.5% 10
2020s 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 1

Countries ranked near Burundi

  1. 104 Czechia 0.3% compare
  2. 105 Guatemala 0.2% compare
  3. 106 Indonesia 0.2% compare
  4. 108 Ecuador 0.2% compare
  5. 109 Mauritius 0.2% compare
  6. 110 Australia 0.2% compare

See the full ranking of 173 places →

More reference data data for Burundi

All data for Burundi →

Frequently asked questions

What is armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Burundi?
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Burundi was 0.2% 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 Burundi?
The highest recorded value was 1.1% in 2004.
What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Burundi?
The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1985.
How does Burundi rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
Burundi ranks 107th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Burundi?
Over the last ten years it is down 54.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Burundi 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 — 32 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.