Military personnel in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Military personnel was 100,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
100,000 people
Change on year
down 39.4%
World rank
47th
of 194 countries
All-time high
400,000 people
in 1999
All-time low
27,000 people
in 2005
Years of data
98
1920–2022
Military personnel in Afghanistan, 1920–2022
Source: Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 100,000 people for military personnel in 2022.
That represents a change of down 39.4% on the previous year and down 41.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Afghanistan peaked at 400,000 people in 1999 and was at its lowest, 27,000 people, in 2005.
That places Afghanistan 47th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 55,000 people | — |
| 1921 | 55,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 55,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 65,000 people | +18.2% |
| 1924 | 65,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 76,000 people | +16.9% |
| 1926 | 76,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 76,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 60,000 people | -21.1% |
| 1929 | 60,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 60,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 60,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 60,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 72,000 people | +20.0% |
| 1934 | 45,000 people | -37.5% |
| 1935 | 72,000 people | +60.0% |
| 1936 | 103,000 people | +43.1% |
| 1937 | 103,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 103,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 103,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 60,000 people | -41.7% |
| 1941 | 90,000 people | +50.0% |
| 1942 | 90,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 90,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 90,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 90,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 90,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 100,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1948 | 90,000 people | -10.0% |
| 1949 | 75,000 people | -16.7% |
| 1950 | 75,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 60,000 people | -20.0% |
| 1952 | 60,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 41,000 people | -31.7% |
| 1954 | 41,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 43,000 people | +4.9% |
| 1956 | 43,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 43,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 43,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 50,000 people | +16.3% |
| 1960 | 60,000 people | +20.0% |
| 1961 | 110,000 people | +83.3% |
| 1962 | 104,000 people | -5.5% |
| 1963 | 110,000 people | +5.8% |
| 1964 | 112,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1965 | 97,000 people | -13.4% |
| 1966 | 97,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 95,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1968 | 89,000 people | -6.3% |
| 1969 | 89,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 91,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 91,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 91,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 91,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 80,000 people | -12.1% |
| 1975 | 130,000 people | +62.5% |
| 1976 | 142,000 people | +9.2% |
| 1977 | 143,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 110,000 people | -23.1% |
| 1979 | 89,000 people | -19.1% |
| 1980 | 43,000 people | -51.7% |
| 1981 | 45,000 people | +4.7% |
| 1982 | 55,000 people | +22.2% |
| 1983 | 46,000 people | -16.4% |
| 1984 | 46,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 47,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 47,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 50,000 people | +6.4% |
| 1988 | 55,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1989 | 55,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 58,000 people | +5.5% |
| 1991 | 45,000 people | -22.4% |
| 1992 | 45,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 45,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 45,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 400,000 people | +788.9% |
| 2000 | 400,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 50,000 people | -87.5% |
| 2003 | 60,000 people | +20.0% |
| 2004 | 44,000 people | -26.7% |
| 2005 | 27,000 people | -38.6% |
| 2006 | 27,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 50,000 people | +85.2% |
| 2008 | 51,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 53,000 people | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 94,000 people | +77.4% |
| 2011 | 136,000 people | +44.7% |
| 2012 | 171,000 people | +25.7% |
| 2013 | 191,000 people | +11.7% |
| 2014 | 186,000 people | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 179,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 161,000 people | -10.1% |
| 2017 | 171,000 people | +6.2% |
| 2018 | 174,000 people | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 174,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 181,000 people | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 165,000 people | -8.8% |
| 2022 | 100,000 people | -39.4% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 100,000 people is above the median for low income countries, which is 33,000 people, 3.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 100,000 people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 91,500 people, 1.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel in Afghanistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +788.9% | 45,000 people | 400,000 people |
| 2002 | -87.5% | 400,000 people | 50,000 people |
| 2007 | +85.2% | 27,000 people | 50,000 people |
| 1961 | +83.3% | 60,000 people | 110,000 people |
| 2010 | +77.4% | 53,000 people | 94,000 people |
| 1975 | +62.5% | 80,000 people | 130,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 64,300 people | 55,000 people | 76,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 78,100 people | 45,000 people | 103,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 86,500 people | 60,000 people | 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1950s | 49,900 people | 41,000 people | 75,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 96,300 people | 60,000 people | 112,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 105,800 people | 80,000 people | 143,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 48,900 people | 43,000 people | 55,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 106,333 people | 45,000 people | 400,000 people | 6 |
| 2000s | 84,667 people | 27,000 people | 400,000 people | 9 |
| 2010s | 163,700 people | 94,000 people | 191,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 148,667 people | 100,000 people | 181,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More reference data data for Afghanistan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.8991 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4362 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 18.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.38 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Afghanistan?
- Military personnel in Afghanistan was 100,000 people in 2022, according to Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 400,000 people in 1999.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 27,000 people in 2005.
- How does Afghanistan rank for military personnel?
- Afghanistan ranks 47th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 98 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Troops under the command of the national government, intended for use against foreign adversaries, and held ready for combat as of January 1 of the given year.