Armed forces personnel in Morocco
Morocco: Armed forces personnel was 246,000 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel in Morocco, 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 Morocco stood at 246,000.
The figure is up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Morocco peaked at 251,000 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 149,000, in 1985.
Morocco ranks 28th of 173 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel in Morocco, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 149,000 | — |
| 1989 | 195,000 | +30.9% |
| 1990 | 195,000 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 195,000 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 195,000 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 195,000 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 195,000 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 237,500 | +21.8% |
| 1996 | 236,000 | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 238,300 | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 238,300 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 238,300 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 240,500 | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 246,500 | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 246,300 | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 246,300 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 250,000 | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 251,000 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 246,000 | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 246,000 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 246,000 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 245,800 | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 245,800 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 245,800 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 245,800 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 245,800 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 245,800 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 245,800 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 245,800 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 246,000 | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 245,800 | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 246,000 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 246,000 | +0.0% |
Morocco compared with similar countries
- Morocco's 246,000 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23,000, 10.7× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Morocco's 246,000 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 80,000, 3.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 172,000 | 149,000 | 195,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 216,340 | 195,000 | 238,300 | 10 |
| 2000s | 246,440 | 240,500 | 251,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 245,840 | 245,800 | 246,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 246,000 | 246,000 | 246,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Morocco
More reference data data for Morocco
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 8.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4441 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 8.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.4159 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 21.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.3 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.42 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Morocco?
- Armed forces personnel in Morocco was 246,000 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 Morocco?
- The highest recorded value was 251,000 in 2005.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Morocco?
- The lowest recorded value was 149,000 in 1985.
- How does Morocco rank for armed forces personnel?
- Morocco ranks 28th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Morocco?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Morocco 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.