Armed forces personnel in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Armed forces personnel was 63,000 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel in United Arab Emirates, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 63,000 for armed forces personnel in 2020.
The figure is up 23.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in United Arab Emirates peaked at 71,000 in 1995 and was at its lowest, 41,500, in 2002.
United Arab Emirates ranks 63rd of 173 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 43,000 | 43,000 | 43,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 63,500 | 55,000 | 71,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 52,900 | 41,500 | 66,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 59,400 | 51,000 | 63,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 63,000 | 63,000 | 63,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 62 Uzbekistan 68,000 compare
- 64 Australia 60,000 compare
- 65 Singapore 59,000 compare
- 66 Turkmenistan 57,000 compare
More reference data data for United Arab Emirates
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.54 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.7516 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.2042 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 0 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.8201 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.794 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 123.74 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 0 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 0 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in United Arab Emirates?
- Armed forces personnel in United Arab Emirates was 63,000 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 71,000 in 1995.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 41,500 in 2002.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for armed forces personnel?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 63rd out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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.