Armed forces personnel in Israel
Israel: Armed forces personnel was 178,000 in 2020. ▬ Flat
Armed forces personnel in Israel, 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 Israel is 178,000, measured in 2020.
The figure is down 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Israel peaked at 191,000 in 1989 and was at its lowest, 142,000, in 1985.
Israel ranks 36th of 173 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 166,500 | 142,000 | 191,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 182,785 | 178,100 | 190,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 178,805 | 169,500 | 185,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 182,510 | 177,500 | 184,550 | 10 |
| 2020s | 178,000 | 178,000 | 178,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Israel
More reference data data for Israel
- Spring temperature anomalies -1 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.1393 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.73 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.3165 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.06 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 126.13 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 Israel?
- Armed forces personnel in Israel was 178,000 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 Israel?
- The highest recorded value was 191,000 in 1989.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Israel?
- The lowest recorded value was 142,000 in 1985.
- How does Israel rank for armed forces personnel?
- Israel ranks 36th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Israel?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Israel 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.