Armed forces personnel in Bolivia
Bolivia: Armed forces personnel was 71,000 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel in Bolivia, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Bolivia recorded 71,000 for armed forces personnel in 2020.
The figure is down 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Bolivia peaked at 83,200 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 27,600, in 1985.
That places Bolivia 59th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 28,800 | 27,600 | 30,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 49,400 | 28,000 | 70,600 | 10 |
| 2000s | 74,560 | 68,000 | 83,200 | 10 |
| 2010s | 75,950 | 71,000 | 83,200 | 10 |
| 2020s | 71,000 | 71,000 | 71,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Bolivia
- 56 Lebanon 80,000 compare
- 57 Cuba 76,000 compare
- 58 Canada 72,000 compare
- 59 Dominican Republic 71,000 compare
- 59 Kazakhstan 71,000 compare
- 62 Uzbekistan 68,000 compare
More reference data data for Bolivia
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.5735 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies -0.2559 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.4786 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.54 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies -0.1506 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 197.72 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 in Bolivia?
- Armed forces personnel in Bolivia was 71,000 in 2020, according to The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel recorded in Bolivia?
- The highest recorded value was 83,200 in 2009.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Bolivia?
- The lowest recorded value was 27,600 in 1985.
- How does Bolivia rank for armed forces personnel?
- Bolivia ranks 59th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Bolivia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bolivia data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Armed forces personnel. 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.