Armed forces personnel in Cuba
Cuba: Armed forces personnel was 76,000 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel in Cuba, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Cuba recorded 76,000 for armed forces personnel in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Cuba peaked at 297,000 in 1989 and was at its lowest, 72,500, in 2001.
Cuba ranks 57th of 173 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 | 229,250 | 161,500 | 297,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 157,650 | 79,000 | 297,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 75,650 | 72,500 | 84,500 | 10 |
| 2010s | 75,650 | 75,500 | 76,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 76,000 | 76,000 | 76,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Cuba
- 54 South Africa 89,000 compare
- 55 Azerbaijan 82,000 compare
- 56 Lebanon 80,000 compare
- 58 Canada 72,000 compare
- 59 Bolivia 71,000 compare
- 59 Dominican Republic 71,000 compare
- 59 Kazakhstan 71,000 compare
More reference data data for Cuba
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.4515 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.6529 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.1375 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.5937 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.7811 °C (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Cuba?
- Armed forces personnel in Cuba was 76,000 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 Cuba?
- The highest recorded value was 297,000 in 1989.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Cuba?
- The lowest recorded value was 72,500 in 2001.
- How does Cuba rank for armed forces personnel?
- Cuba ranks 57th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Cuba?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cuba 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.