Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in United States
United States: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.4% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in United States, 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 United States is 0.4%, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in United States peaked at 0.9% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 2017.
United States ranks 75th of 173 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.9% | — |
| 1989 | 0.9% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 0.9% | -3.7% |
| 1991 | 0.8% | -3.9% |
| 1992 | 0.7% | -10.5% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | -6.3% |
| 1994 | 0.6% | -6.5% |
| 1995 | 0.6% | -5.9% |
| 1996 | 0.6% | -4.8% |
| 1997 | 0.6% | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 0.6% | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 0.5% | -8.5% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 0.5% | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 0.5% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 0.5% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 0.5% | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 0.5% | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 0.5% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 0.5% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 0.5% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 0.5% | -4.1% |
| 2012 | 0.5% | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | -4.9% |
| 2014 | 0.4% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 0.4% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 0.4% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.4% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 0.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%, 89% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near United States
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel as a share of total population in United States?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in United States was 0.4% 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 United States?
- The highest recorded value was 0.9% in 1989.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 2017.
- How does United States rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
- United States ranks 75th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States 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.