Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Canada
Canada: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.2% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Canada, 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 Canada stood at 0.2%.
That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Canada peaked at 0.3% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2016.
Canada ranks 130th of 173 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.3% | — |
| 1989 | 0.3% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | -5.8% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -8.4% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | +4.3% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -9.8% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | -4.6% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | -4.5% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | -7.8% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 0.2% | +14.2% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | -10.7% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 0.2% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | +5.8% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 0.2% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | +5.3% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 0.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%, 41% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More reference data data for Canada
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 20.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 20.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 7.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 22.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 99.83 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.88 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Canada?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Canada 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 Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 0.3% in 1989.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2016.
- How does Canada rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
- Canada ranks 130th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada 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.