Armed forces personnel in Somalia
Somalia: Armed forces personnel was 14,000 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel in Somalia, 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 Somalia stood at 14,000.
That represents a change of down 30.0% on the previous year and up 600.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Somalia peaked at 225,000 in 1995 and was at its lowest, 2,000, in 2009.
That places Somalia 120th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it 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 | 54,850 | 47,000 | 62,700 | 2 |
| 1990s | 166,167 | 47,000 | 225,000 | 6 |
| 2000s | 26,000 | 2,000 | 50,000 | 2 |
| 2010s | 15,260 | 2,000 | 20,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 14,000 | 14,000 | 14,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More reference data data for Somalia
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.06 °C (2026)
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.3971 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.484 °C (2026)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 0 (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice 0 (2025)
- Elected parliament 0 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating 7 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.6624 °C (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Somalia?
- Armed forces personnel in Somalia was 14,000 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 Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 225,000 in 1995.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,000 in 2009.
- How does Somalia rank for armed forces personnel?
- Somalia ranks 120th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 600.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia 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.