Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Israel
Israel: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 2.0% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Israel, 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 Israel stood at 2.0%. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 19.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Israel peaked at 4.4% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 2020.
Israel ranks 3rd of 173 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.9% | 3.5% | 4.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 3.5% | 3.0% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 2.6% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Israel
- 1 Eritrea 6.1% compare
- 2 North Korea 5.6% compare
- 4 Montenegro 2.0% compare
- 5 Brunei 1.8% compare
- 6 Laos 1.8% compare
More reference data data for Israel
- Spring temperature anomalies -1 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.1393 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.73 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.3165 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.06 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 126.13 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- 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 Israel?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Israel was 2.0% 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 Israel?
- The highest recorded value was 4.4% in 1989.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Israel?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 2020.
- How does Israel rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
- Israel ranks 3rd out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Israel?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Israel 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.