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.
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
- 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
- Spring temperature anomalies 4.22 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.58 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -3.74 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2.27 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 3.13 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 138.19 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 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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CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.