Armed forces personnel in Iraq
Iraq: Armed forces personnel was 459,000 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel in Iraq, 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 Iraq stood at 459,000.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 34.6% on the previous year and down 42.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Iraq peaked at 1.39 million in 1990 and was at its lowest, 177,600, in 2013.
Iraq ranks 15th of 173 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 | 1.00 million | 1.00 million | 1.00 million | 2 |
| 1990s | 534,470 | 407,000 | 1.39 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 430,940 | 179,000 | 659,395 | 10 |
| 2010s | 409,780 | 177,600 | 802,400 | 10 |
| 2020s | 459,000 | 459,000 | 459,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More reference data data for Iraq
- Spring temperature anomalies -1.96 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.4693 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.0842 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies -0.077 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.27 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 143.6 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 Iraq?
- Armed forces personnel in Iraq was 459,000 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 1.39 million in 1990.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 177,600 in 2013.
- How does Iraq rank for armed forces personnel?
- Iraq ranks 15th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq 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.