Military personnel in Australia
Australia: Military personnel was 60,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
60,000 people
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
57th
of 194 countries
All-time high
680,000 people
in 1943
All-time low
6,000 people
in 1920
Years of data
102
1920–2022
Military personnel in Australia, 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
The most recent figure for military personnel in Australia is 60,000 people, measured in 2022.
The figure is up 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Australia peaked at 680,000 people in 1943 and was at its lowest, 6,000 people, in 1920.
That places Australia 57th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel in Australia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 6,000 people | — |
| 1921 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 7,000 people | +16.7% |
| 1924 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 8,000 people | +14.3% |
| 1927 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 7,000 people | -12.5% |
| 1930 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 6,000 people | -14.3% |
| 1932 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 8,000 people | +33.3% |
| 1935 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 82,000 people | +925.0% |
| 1941 | 400,000 people | +387.8% |
| 1943 | 680,000 people | +70.0% |
| 1944 | 680,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 596,000 people | -12.4% |
| 1946 | 103,000 people | -82.7% |
| 1947 | 82,000 people | -20.4% |
| 1948 | 61,000 people | -25.6% |
| 1949 | 41,000 people | -32.8% |
| 1950 | 38,000 people | -7.3% |
| 1951 | 33,000 people | -13.2% |
| 1952 | 32,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1953 | 57,000 people | +78.1% |
| 1954 | 54,000 people | -5.3% |
| 1955 | 52,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1956 | 52,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 48,000 people | -7.7% |
| 1958 | 46,000 people | -4.2% |
| 1959 | 48,000 people | +4.3% |
| 1960 | 47,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1961 | 46,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1962 | 49,000 people | +6.5% |
| 1963 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 53,000 people | +8.2% |
| 1965 | 53,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 59,000 people | +11.3% |
| 1967 | 72,000 people | +22.0% |
| 1968 | 80,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1969 | 82,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 86,000 people | +4.9% |
| 1971 | 86,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 86,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 71,000 people | -17.4% |
| 1974 | 68,000 people | -4.2% |
| 1975 | 70,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 71,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 70,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 70,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 70,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 71,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 72,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 73,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 73,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 71,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1985 | 70,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 71,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 70,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 71,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 70,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 68,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1991 | 68,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 68,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 68,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 65,000 people | -4.4% |
| 1995 | 65,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 65,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 65,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 65,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 55,000 people | -15.4% |
| 2000 | 51,000 people | -7.3% |
| 2001 | 51,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 51,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 54,000 people | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 53,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 53,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 53,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 52,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 51,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 55,000 people | +7.8% |
| 2010 | 55,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 57,000 people | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 57,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 57,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 56,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 57,000 people | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 57,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 58,000 people | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 58,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 58,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 57,000 people | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 60,000 people | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 60,000 people | +0.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 60,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 18,500 people, 3.2× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Australia's 60,000 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9,500 people, 6.3× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel in Australia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | +925.0% | 8,000 people | 82,000 people |
| 1941 | +387.8% | 82,000 people | 400,000 people |
| 1946 | -82.7% | 596,000 people | 103,000 people |
| 1953 | +78.1% | 32,000 people | 57,000 people |
| 1943 | +70.0% | 400,000 people | 680,000 people |
| 1934 | +33.3% | 6,000 people | 8,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 7,000 people | 6,000 people | 8,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 7,300 people | 6,000 people | 8,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 302,778 people | 41,000 people | 680,000 people | 9 |
| 1950s | 46,000 people | 32,000 people | 57,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 59,000 people | 46,000 people | 82,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 74,800 people | 68,000 people | 86,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 71,200 people | 70,000 people | 73,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 65,200 people | 55,000 people | 68,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 52,400 people | 51,000 people | 55,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 57,000 people | 55,000 people | 58,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 59,000 people | 57,000 people | 60,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 54 Chile 69,000 people compare
- 55 Canada 67,000 people compare
- 56 Azerbaijan 64,000 people compare
- 57 Lebanon 60,000 people compare
- 59 Dominican Republic 56,000 people compare
- 60 South Sudan 53,000 people compare
More reference data data for Australia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 28.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 118.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 170.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.9 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Australia?
- Military personnel in Australia was 60,000 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 Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 680,000 people in 1943.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 6,000 people in 1920.
- How does Australia rank for military personnel?
- Australia ranks 57th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia 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 — 102 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.