Armed forces personnel in Uruguay
Uruguay: Armed forces personnel was 22,000 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel in Uruguay, 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 Uruguay stood at 22,000. That is the lowest value across all 32 years on record.
The figure is down 13.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Uruguay peaked at 31,900 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 22,000, in 2017.
Uruguay ranks 100th of 173 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 29,450 | 27,000 | 31,900 | 2 |
| 1990s | 25,711 | 25,000 | 26,520 | 10 |
| 2000s | 25,131 | 24,600 | 25,900 | 9 |
| 2010s | 24,424 | 22,000 | 25,450 | 10 |
| 2020s | 22,000 | 22,000 | 22,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
More reference data data for Uruguay
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.4369 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies -1.57 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.8785 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.1951 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.51 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 304.15 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 Uruguay?
- Armed forces personnel in Uruguay was 22,000 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 Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 31,900 in 1985.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 22,000 in 2017.
- How does Uruguay rank for armed forces personnel?
- Uruguay ranks 100th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.