Armed forces personnel in Greece
Greece: Armed forces personnel was 147,000 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel in Greece, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, armed forces personnel in Greece stood at 147,000.
The figure is down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Greece peaked at 213,000 in 1993 and was at its lowest, 142,936, in 2009.
That places Greece 42nd out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 201,250 | 201,000 | 201,500 | 2 |
| 1990s | 194,200 | 166,300 | 213,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 165,054 | 142,936 | 181,600 | 10 |
| 2010s | 147,440 | 145,350 | 149,647 | 10 |
| 2020s | 147,000 | 147,000 | 147,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Greece
- 40 Philippines 157,000 compare
- 41 United Kingdom 153,000 compare
- 43 Sudan 144,000 compare
- 44 Ethiopia 138,000 compare
- 45 Malaysia 136,000 compare
More reference data data for Greece
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.1042 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.7668 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.8 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.16 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.73 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 121.73 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 Greece?
- Armed forces personnel in Greece was 147,000 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 Greece?
- The highest recorded value was 213,000 in 1993.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Greece?
- The lowest recorded value was 142,936 in 2009.
- How does Greece rank for armed forces personnel?
- Greece ranks 42nd out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Greece?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Greece 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.