Armed forces personnel in North Macedonia
North Macedonia: Armed forces personnel was 16,000 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel in North Macedonia, 1992–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
North Macedonia recorded 16,000 for armed forces personnel in 2020.
That represents a change of up 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in North Macedonia peaked at 27,500 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 8,000, in 2009.
North Macedonia ranks 113th of 173 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17,462 | 10,000 | 27,500 | 8 |
| 2000s | 19,080 | 8,000 | 26,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 11,920 | 8,000 | 16,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 16,000 | 16,000 | 16,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near North Macedonia
More reference data data for North Macedonia
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.9026 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.34 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 2.06 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.56 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.88 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 159.36 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 North Macedonia?
- Armed forces personnel in North Macedonia was 16,000 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 North Macedonia?
- The highest recorded value was 27,500 in 1998.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in North Macedonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8,000 in 2009.
- How does North Macedonia rank for armed forces personnel?
- North Macedonia ranks 113th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in North Macedonia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Macedonia 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.