Armed forces personnel in Mozambique
Mozambique: Armed forces personnel was 11,000 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel in Mozambique, 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 Mozambique stood at 11,000.
The figure is down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Mozambique peaked at 65,000 in 1989 and was at its lowest, 6,100, in 1997.
Mozambique ranks 128th of 173 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 | 40,400 | 15,800 | 65,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 28,230 | 6,100 | 65,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 10,250 | 6,100 | 11,200 | 10 |
| 2010s | 11,160 | 11,000 | 11,200 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11,000 | 11,000 | 11,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Mozambique
- 128 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11,000 compare
- 128 Burkina Faso 11,000 compare
- 131 Central African Republic 10,000 compare
- 131 Costa Rica 10,000 compare
- 131 New Zealand 10,000 compare
- 131 Niger 10,000 compare
- 131 Togo 10,000 compare
More reference data data for Mozambique
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.0001 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.7491 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.0188 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.11 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies -0.637 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 257.68 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Mozambique?
- Armed forces personnel in Mozambique was 11,000 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 Mozambique?
- The highest recorded value was 65,000 in 1989.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Mozambique?
- The lowest recorded value was 6,100 in 1997.
- How does Mozambique rank for armed forces personnel?
- Mozambique ranks 128th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Mozambique?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mozambique 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.