Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Estonia
Estonia: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.5% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Estonia, 1992–2020
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
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Estonia is 0.5%, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 21.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Estonia peaked at 0.6% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1992.
That places Estonia 57th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 8 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Estonia
More reference data data for Estonia
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- Summer temperature anomalies 1.4 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -5.32 °C (2026)
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- Autumn temperature anomalies 2.35 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 3.22 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 179.99 2010 = 100 (2025)
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- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Estonia?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Estonia 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 Estonia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.6% in 2003.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Estonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1992.
- How does Estonia rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
- Estonia ranks 57th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Estonia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Estonia 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.