Armed forces personnel in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Armed forces personnel was 317,000 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel in Sri Lanka, 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 Sri Lanka stood at 317,000. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is up 42.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Sri Lanka peaked at 317,000 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 21,600, in 1985.
Sri Lanka ranks 22nd 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 | 21,800 | 21,600 | 22,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 159,340 | 22,000 | 235,500 | 10 |
| 2000s | 220,170 | 200,000 | 246,500 | 10 |
| 2010s | 263,690 | 223,100 | 317,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 317,000 | 317,000 | 317,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More reference data data for Sri Lanka
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.1264 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.2745 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.0088 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.7892 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.372 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 292.34 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 Sri Lanka?
- Armed forces personnel in Sri Lanka was 317,000 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 317,000 in 2017.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 21,600 in 1985.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for armed forces personnel?
- Sri Lanka ranks 22nd out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.