Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Latvia
Latvia: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.5% in 2020. ▬ Flat
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Latvia, 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
In 2020, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Latvia stood at 0.5%.
That represents a change of up 51.0% 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 Latvia peaked at 0.8% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1992.
That places Latvia 65th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 8 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Latvia
More reference data data for Latvia
- Spring temperature anomalies 4.57 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.58 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -5.99 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2.33 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 3.08 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 162.39 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 Latvia?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Latvia 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 Latvia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.8% in 2007.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Latvia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1992.
- How does Latvia rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
- Latvia ranks 65th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Latvia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 115.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Latvia 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.