Armed forces personnel in Peru
Peru: Armed forces personnel was 158,000 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel in Peru, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Peru recorded 158,000 for armed forces personnel in 2020.
The figure is down 17.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Peru peaked at 203,000 in 1997 and was at its lowest, 110,000, in 1989.
Peru ranks 38th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 119,000 | 110,000 | 128,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 155,420 | 112,000 | 203,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 182,700 | 157,000 | 198,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 171,600 | 158,000 | 192,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 158,000 | 158,000 | 158,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Peru
- 35 Germany 183,000 compare
- 36 Israel 178,000 compare
- 37 Afghanistan 165,000 compare
- 38 Belarus 158,000 compare
- 40 Philippines 157,000 compare
- 41 United Kingdom 153,000 compare
More reference data data for Peru
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.5139 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.6126 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.2052 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.4994 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.6602 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 165.52 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 Peru?
- Armed forces personnel in Peru was 158,000 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 Peru?
- The highest recorded value was 203,000 in 1997.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Peru?
- The lowest recorded value was 110,000 in 1989.
- How does Peru rank for armed forces personnel?
- Peru ranks 38th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Peru?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Peru 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.