Armed forces personnel in Guatemala
Guatemala: Armed forces personnel was 43,000 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel in Guatemala, 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 Guatemala stood at 43,000.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Guatemala peaked at 56,500 in 1995 and was at its lowest, 31,700, in 1985.
That places Guatemala 76th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it 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 | 37,350 | 31,700 | 43,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 45,360 | 34,000 | 56,500 | 10 |
| 2000s | 43,931 | 34,212 | 52,900 | 10 |
| 2010s | 41,931 | 34,212 | 43,050 | 10 |
| 2020s | 43,000 | 43,000 | 43,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
More reference data data for Guatemala
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.4881 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.04 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.2788 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.5692 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.8885 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 182.28 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 Guatemala?
- Armed forces personnel in Guatemala was 43,000 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 Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 56,500 in 1995.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 31,700 in 1985.
- How does Guatemala rank for armed forces personnel?
- Guatemala ranks 76th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Guatemala 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.