Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Sweden
Sweden: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.1% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Sweden, 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
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Sweden is 0.1%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 35.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Sweden peaked at 1.1% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2020.
That places Sweden 139th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
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 Sweden, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.8% | — |
| 1989 | 0.7% | -7.2% |
| 1990 | 0.8% | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 0.7% | -3.7% |
| 1992 | 0.8% | +10.5% |
| 1993 | 0.8% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 1.1% | +41.5% |
| 1996 | 1.1% | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | -9.5% |
| 1998 | 1.0% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 1.0% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 1.0% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 0.8% | -21.5% |
| 2002 | 0.8% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 0.7% | -9.4% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | -56.5% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | -14.5% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -29.0% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 0.2% | +23.2% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | -25.0% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 0.3% | +87.9% |
| 2015 | 0.3% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -50.1% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | -0.7% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 0.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%, 31% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 0.1% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.5%, 31% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Sweden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +87.9% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2004 | -56.5% | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| 2018 | -50.1% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| 1995 | +41.5% | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| 2007 | -29.0% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.2% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
- 136 Luxembourg 0.2% compare
- 137 East Timor 0.2% compare
- 138 South Africa 0.1% compare
- 140 Philippines 0.1% compare
- 141 Democratic Republic of Congo 0.1% compare
- 142 Bangladesh 0.1% compare
More reference data data for Sweden
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4328 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2237 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9766 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 8.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.12 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Sweden?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Sweden was 0.1% 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 1.1% in 1995.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2020.
- How does Sweden rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
- Sweden ranks 139th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sweden 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.