Armed forces personnel in Latvia
Latvia: Armed forces personnel was 9,000 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel in Latvia, 1992–2020
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 Latvia stood at 9,000.
The figure is up 50.0% on the previous year and up 95.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Latvia peaked at 17,000 in 2006 and was at its lowest, 4,600, in 2010.
Latvia ranks 136th of 173 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8,229 | 5,000 | 12,300 | 8 |
| 2000s | 9,004 | 5,000 | 17,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5,540 | 4,600 | 6,900 | 10 |
| 2020s | 9,000 | 9,000 | 9,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Latvia
- 136 Botswana 9,000 compare
- 136 Sierra Leone 9,000 compare
More reference data data for Latvia
- Spring temperature anomalies 4.57 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.58 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -5.99 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2.33 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 3.08 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 162.39 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 Latvia?
- Armed forces personnel in Latvia was 9,000 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 Latvia?
- The highest recorded value was 17,000 in 2006.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Latvia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,600 in 2010.
- How does Latvia rank for armed forces personnel?
- Latvia ranks 136th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Latvia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 95.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Latvia 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.