Armed forces personnel in El Salvador
El Salvador: Armed forces personnel was 42,000 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel in El Salvador, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel in El Salvador is 42,000, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 29.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in El Salvador peaked at 60,000 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 15,000, in 2004.
El Salvador ranks 77th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 43,350 | 41,700 | 45,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 43,550 | 30,000 | 60,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 27,140 | 15,000 | 33,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 37,940 | 32,300 | 42,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 42,000 | 42,000 | 42,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More reference data data for El Salvador
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.9422 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.37 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.2746 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.03 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.22 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 129.31 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in El Salvador?
- Armed forces personnel in El Salvador was 42,000 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 El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 60,000 in 1991.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 15,000 in 2004.
- How does El Salvador rank for armed forces personnel?
- El Salvador ranks 77th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this El Salvador 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.