Armed forces personnel in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago: Armed forces personnel was 5,000 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel in Trinidad and Tobago, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel in Trinidad and Tobago is 5,000, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of up 23.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Trinidad and Tobago peaked at 7,500 in 1999 and was at its lowest, 2,000, in 1989.
That places Trinidad and Tobago 148th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel in Trinidad and Tobago, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 2,100 | — |
| 1989 | 2,000 | -4.8% |
| 1990 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 6,900 | +245.0% |
| 1996 | 6,900 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 6,900 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 7,400 | +7.2% |
| 1999 | 7,500 | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 7,500 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2,700 | -64.0% |
| 2002 | 2,700 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2,700 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 2,000 | -25.9% |
| 2005 | 3,000 | +50.0% |
| 2006 | 3,000 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4,000 | +33.3% |
| 2008 | 4,000 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4,063 | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 4,063 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4,050 | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 4,050 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 4,050 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 4,050 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 4,050 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 4,050 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 4,000 | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 4,050 | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 5,000 | +23.5% |
| 2020 | 5,000 | +0.0% |
Trinidad and Tobago compared with similar countries
- Trinidad and Tobago's 5,000 is below the median for high income countries, which is 25,000, 20% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Trinidad and Tobago's 5,000 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 28,500, 18% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2,050 | 2,000 | 2,100 | 2 |
| 1990s | 4,560 | 2,000 | 7,500 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,566 | 2,000 | 7,500 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,141 | 4,000 | 5,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Trinidad and Tobago
More reference data data for Trinidad and Tobago
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0696 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0589 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.165 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0005 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.165 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2333 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0945 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.3189 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.7976 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0027 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Trinidad and Tobago?
- Armed forces personnel in Trinidad and Tobago was 5,000 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 Trinidad and Tobago?
- The highest recorded value was 7,500 in 1999.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Trinidad and Tobago?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,000 in 1989.
- How does Trinidad and Tobago rank for armed forces personnel?
- Trinidad and Tobago ranks 148th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Trinidad and Tobago?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Trinidad and Tobago 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.