Military personnel by country
Countries reporting
174
Highest
2.04 million
China
Lowest
0
Seychelles
Median
26,000
Years covered
207
1816–2022
Data points
15,765
What the numbers show
Military personnel is currently reported for 174 countries. The highest value is 2.04 million in China; the lowest is 0 in Seychelles.
The median across all reporting countries is 26,000, and the mean is 119,580.
Over the past decade 64 countries rose and 57 fell. The largest increase was in Somalia (up 600.0%), and the largest decrease in Luxembourg (down 100.0%).
Military personnel: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 2.04 million | 2022 | down 10.9% | volatile |
| 2 | India | 1.46 million | 2022 | up 10.2% | rising |
| 3 | United States | 1.36 million | 2022 | down 13.3% | volatile |
| 4 | North Korea | 1.28 million | 2022 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 5 | Russia | 1.19 million | 2022 | up 24.5% | volatile |
| 6 | Ukraine | 688,000 | 2022 | up 429.2% | volatile |
| 7 | Pakistan | 652,000 | 2022 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 8 | Iran | 610,000 | 2022 | up 16.6% | volatile |
| 9 | South Korea | 555,000 | 2022 | down 15.3% | rising |
| 10 | Ethiopia | 503,000 | 2022 | up 264.5% | volatile |
| 11 | Vietnam | 482,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 12 | Egypt | 439,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 13 | Indonesia | 396,000 | 2022 | up 31.1% | rising |
| 14 | Brazil | 367,000 | 2022 | up 15.4% | volatile |
| 15 | Thailand | 361,000 | 2022 | up 18.0% | volatile |
| 16 | Myanmar | 356,000 | 2022 | down 12.3% | volatile |
| 17 | Turkey | 355,000 | 2022 | down 30.5% | volatile |
| 18 | Eritrea | 302,000 | 2022 | up 49.5% | rising |
| 19 | Saudi Arabia | 257,000 | 2022 | up 9.8% | volatile |
| 20 | Colombia | 256,000 | 2022 | down 9.5% | volatile |
| 21 | Sri Lanka | 255,000 | 2022 | up 58.4% | volatile |
| 22 | Japan | 247,000 | 2022 | down 0.4% | volatile |
| 23 | Mexico | 216,000 | 2022 | down 22.9% | volatile |
| 24 | France | 203,000 | 2022 | down 15.1% | volatile |
| 25 | Morocco | 196,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 26 | Iraq | 193,000 | 2022 | down 28.8% | volatile |
| 27 | Germany | 183,000 | 2022 | down 27.1% | volatile |
| 28 | Israel | 170,000 | 2022 | down 4.0% | rising |
| 29 | Syria | 169,000 | 2022 | down 42.7% | volatile |
| 29 | Taiwan | 169,000 | 2022 | down 41.7% | falling |
| 31 | Bangladesh | 163,000 | 2022 | up 3.8% | rising |
| 32 | Italy | 161,000 | 2022 | down 13.0% | volatile |
| 33 | United Kingdom | 150,000 | 2022 | down 13.8% | volatile |
| 34 | Philippines | 145,000 | 2022 | up 16.0% | rising |
| 35 | Nigeria | 143,000 | 2022 | up 78.8% | volatile |
| 36 | Algeria | 139,000 | 2022 | up 6.9% | rising |
| 37 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 134,000 | 2022 | down 15.7% | volatile |
| 38 | Greece | 132,000 | 2022 | down 9.6% | volatile |
| 39 | Spain | 124,000 | 2022 | down 13.3% | volatile |
| 39 | Cambodia | 124,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 41 | Venezuela | 123,000 | 2022 | up 7.0% | volatile |
| 42 | Poland | 114,000 | 2022 | up 14.0% | falling |
| 43 | Malaysia | 113,000 | 2022 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 44 | Angola | 107,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 45 | Sudan | 104,000 | 2022 | down 4.6% | volatile |
| 46 | Jordan | 101,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 47 | Afghanistan | 100,000 | 2022 | down 41.5% | volatile |
| 48 | Nepal | 97,000 | 2022 | up 1.0% | volatile |
| 49 | United Arab Emirates | 83,000 | 2022 | up 62.7% | rising |
| 50 | Peru | 81,000 | 2022 | down 29.6% | volatile |
| 51 | South Africa | 74,000 | 2022 | up 19.4% | volatile |
| 52 | Argentina | 72,000 | 2022 | down 1.4% | volatile |
| 52 | Romania | 72,000 | 2022 | down 2.7% | volatile |
| 54 | Chile | 69,000 | 2022 | up 16.9% | volatile |
| 55 | Canada | 67,000 | 2022 | up 1.5% | volatile |
| 56 | Azerbaijan | 64,000 | 2022 | down 4.5% | rising |
| 57 | Australia | 60,000 | 2022 | up 5.3% | volatile |
| 57 | Lebanon | 60,000 | 2022 | up 1.7% | volatile |
| 59 | Dominican Republic | 56,000 | 2022 | up 124.0% | volatile |
| 60 | South Sudan | 53,000 | 2022 | down 62.1% | falling |
| 61 | Singapore | 51,000 | 2022 | down 30.1% | rising |
| 62 | Cuba | 49,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 63 | Belarus | 48,000 | 2022 | down 34.2% | falling |
| 63 | Uzbekistan | 48,000 | 2022 | down 28.4% | rising |
| 65 | Uganda | 45,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 66 | Armenia | 43,000 | 2022 | down 12.2% | flat |
| 66 | Oman | 43,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 68 | Ecuador | 41,000 | 2022 | down 29.3% | volatile |
| 69 | Yemen | 40,000 | 2022 | down 40.3% | falling |
| 70 | Kazakhstan | 39,000 | 2022 | down 20.4% | rising |
| 71 | Bulgaria | 37,000 | 2022 | up 19.4% | volatile |
| 71 | Turkmenistan | 37,000 | 2022 | up 68.2% | rising |
| 73 | Tunisia | 36,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 74 | Bolivia | 34,000 | 2022 | down 26.1% | volatile |
| 74 | Netherlands | 34,000 | 2022 | down 8.1% | volatile |
| 76 | Niger | 33,000 | 2022 | up 560.0% | volatile |
| 76 | Rwanda | 33,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 76 | Chad | 33,000 | 2022 | up 32.0% | volatile |
| 79 | Hungary | 32,000 | 2022 | up 39.1% | volatile |
| 80 | Burundi | 30,000 | 2022 | up 50.0% | volatile |
| 81 | Laos | 29,000 | 2022 | unchanged | falling |
| 81 | Zimbabwe | 29,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 83 | Serbia | 28,000 | 2022 | down 3.4% | volatile |
| 84 | Cote d'Ivoire | 27,000 | 2022 | up 42.1% | volatile |
| 84 | Czechia | 27,000 | 2022 | up 8.0% | volatile |
| 84 | Portugal | 27,000 | 2022 | down 37.2% | volatile |
| 84 | Tanzania | 27,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 88 | Cameroon | 25,000 | 2022 | up 78.6% | rising |
| 88 | Norway | 25,000 | 2022 | up 4.2% | volatile |
| 88 | El Salvador | 25,000 | 2022 | up 56.2% | volatile |
| 91 | Kenya | 24,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 92 | Austria | 23,000 | 2022 | down 11.5% | rising |
| 92 | Belgium | 23,000 | 2022 | down 32.4% | volatile |
| 92 | Lithuania | 23,000 | 2022 | up 109.1% | volatile |
| 95 | Georgia | 21,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 95 | Mali | 21,000 | 2022 | up 200.0% | rising |
| 95 | Uruguay | 21,000 | 2022 | down 16.0% | volatile |
| 98 | Switzerland | 20,000 | 2022 | down 20.0% | volatile |
| 99 | Finland | 19,000 | 2022 | down 13.6% | volatile |
| 100 | Guatemala | 18,000 | 2022 | up 20.0% | volatile |
| 100 | Kuwait | 18,000 | 2022 | up 12.5% | rising |
| 100 | Slovakia | 18,000 | 2022 | up 12.5% | falling |
| 103 | Croatia | 17,000 | 2022 | down 10.5% | volatile |
| 103 | Qatar | 17,000 | 2022 | up 41.7% | rising |
| 105 | Ghana | 16,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 105 | Mauritania | 16,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 107 | Denmark | 15,000 | 2022 | down 21.1% | falling |
| 107 | Honduras | 15,000 | 2022 | up 25.0% | volatile |
| 107 | Sweden | 15,000 | 2022 | down 25.0% | volatile |
| 107 | Zambia | 15,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 111 | Madagascar | 14,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 111 | Paraguay | 14,000 | 2022 | up 27.3% | volatile |
| 111 | Senegal | 14,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 111 | Somalia | 14,000 | 2022 | up 600.0% | volatile |
| 115 | Togo | 13,000 | 2022 | up 44.4% | volatile |
| 116 | Benin | 12,000 | 2022 | up 140.0% | rising |
| 116 | Cyprus | 12,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 116 | Nicaragua | 12,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 119 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 11,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 119 | Kyrgyzstan | 11,000 | 2022 | unchanged | falling |
| 119 | Mozambique | 11,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 119 | Malawi | 11,000 | 2022 | up 120.0% | rising |
| 123 | Congo | 10,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 123 | Guinea | 10,000 | 2022 | down 16.7% | flat |
| 123 | Mongolia | 10,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 123 | Namibia | 10,000 | 2022 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 127 | Botswana | 9,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 127 | Central African Republic | 9,000 | 2022 | up 350.0% | volatile |
| 127 | New Zealand | 9,000 | 2022 | down 10.0% | volatile |
| 127 | Sierra Leone | 9,000 | 2022 | down 18.2% | volatile |
| 127 | Tajikistan | 9,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 132 | Albania | 8,000 | 2022 | down 42.9% | volatile |
| 132 | Bahrain | 8,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 132 | Djibouti | 8,000 | 2022 | down 20.0% | rising |
| 132 | Ireland | 8,000 | 2022 | down 20.0% | flat |
| 132 | North Macedonia | 8,000 | 2022 | unchanged | falling |
| 137 | Burkina Faso | 7,000 | 2022 | down 36.4% | rising |
| 137 | Brunei | 7,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 137 | Estonia | 7,000 | 2022 | up 16.7% | volatile |
| 137 | Libya | 7,000 | 2015 | down 90.8% | volatile |
| 137 | Latvia | 7,000 | 2022 | up 40.0% | volatile |
| 142 | Bhutan | 6,000 | 2000 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 142 | Jamaica | 6,000 | 2022 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 142 | Slovenia | 6,000 | 2022 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 145 | Gabon | 5,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 145 | Moldova | 5,000 | 2022 | unchanged | falling |
| 145 | Trinidad and Tobago | 5,000 | 2022 | up 25.0% | volatile |
| 148 | Fiji | 4,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 148 | Gambia | 4,000 | 2022 | up 300.0% | volatile |
| 148 | Guinea-Bissau | 4,000 | 2022 | unchanged | falling |
| 148 | Papua New Guinea | 4,000 | 2022 | up 33.3% | falling |
| 152 | Guyana | 3,000 | 2022 | up 200.0% | volatile |
| 152 | Eswatini | 3,000 | 1999 | down 25.0% | volatile |
| 154 | Bahamas | 2,000 | 2022 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 154 | Belize | 2,000 | 2022 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 154 | Liberia | 2,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 154 | Lesotho | 2,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 154 | Malta | 2,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 154 | Montenegro | 2,000 | 2022 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 154 | Suriname | 2,000 | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 154 | East Timor | 2,000 | 2022 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 162 | Barbados | 1,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 162 | Comoros | 1,000 | 1992 | unchanged | rising |
| 162 | Cape Verde | 1,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 162 | Equatorial Guinea | 1,000 | 2022 | unchanged | volatile |
| 162 | Haiti | 1,000 | 2022 | — | volatile |
| 162 | Sao Tome and Principe | 1,000 | 1999 | unchanged | volatile |
| 162 | Tonga | 1,000 | 2022 | — | volatile |
| 169 | Costa Rica | 0 | 2022 | — | volatile |
| 169 | Grenada | 0 | 2022 | — | volatile |
| 169 | Luxembourg | 0 | 2022 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 169 | Mauritius | 0 | 2022 | — | volatile |
| 169 | Panama | 0 | 2022 | — | volatile |
| 169 | Seychelles | 0 | 2022 | — | volatile |