Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Rwanda
Rwanda: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.3% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Rwanda, 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
Rwanda recorded 0.3% for armed forces personnel as a share of total population in 2020.
That represents a change of down 2.2% on the previous year and down 21.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Rwanda peaked at 1.0% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1990.
That places Rwanda 100th 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.
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.1% | — |
| 1989 | 0.1% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 0.4% | +389.9% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | -3.7% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | +17.5% |
| 1995 | 0.8% | +87.5% |
| 1996 | 0.6% | -28.0% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | +34.1% |
| 1998 | 0.7% | -16.4% |
| 1999 | 0.7% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 0.9% | +39.6% |
| 2001 | 1.0% | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 1.0% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 0.7% | -25.4% |
| 2004 | 0.6% | -15.4% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | -37.4% |
| 2008 | 0.4% | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 0.3% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 0.3% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 0.3% | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 0.3% | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 0.3% | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 0.3% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | -2.2% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 0.3% is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.2%, 1.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 0.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.1%, 2.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Rwanda changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +389.9% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| 1995 | +87.5% | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| 2000 | +39.6% | 0.7% | 0.9% |
| 1997 | +34.1% | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| 2007 | -37.4% | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| 1996 | -28.0% | 0.8% | 0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.3% | 1.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More reference data data for Rwanda
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2282 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9517 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1223 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7651 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9517 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.666 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Rwanda?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Rwanda was 0.3% 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 1.0% in 2001.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1990.
- How does Rwanda rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
- Rwanda ranks 100th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.