Military personnel in Belgium
Belgium: Military personnel was 23,000 in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
23,000
Change on year
down 4.2%
World rank
92nd
of 194 countries
All-time high
212,000
in 1919
All-time low
23,000
in 2022
Years of data
189
1830–2022
Military personnel in Belgium, 1830–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2022, military personnel in Belgium stood at 23,000. That is the lowest value across all 189 years on record.
The figure is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 32.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Belgium peaked at 212,000 in 1919 and was at its lowest, 23,000, in 2022.
Belgium ranks 92nd of 194 countries on this measure, 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 Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 62,000 | — |
| 1831 | 54,000 | -12.9% |
| 1832 | 46,000 | -14.8% |
| 1833 | 38,000 | -17.4% |
| 1834 | 30,000 | -21.1% |
| 1835 | 30,000 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 30,000 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 46,000 | +53.3% |
| 1838 | 48,000 | +4.3% |
| 1839 | 50,000 | +4.2% |
| 1840 | 45,000 | -10.0% |
| 1841 | 41,000 | -8.9% |
| 1842 | 36,000 | -12.2% |
| 1843 | 32,000 | -11.1% |
| 1844 | 32,000 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 32,000 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 32,000 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 32,000 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 33,000 | +3.1% |
| 1849 | 34,000 | +3.0% |
| 1850 | 35,000 | +2.9% |
| 1851 | 36,000 | +2.9% |
| 1852 | 37,000 | +2.8% |
| 1853 | 38,000 | +2.7% |
| 1854 | 39,000 | +2.6% |
| 1855 | 40,000 | +2.6% |
| 1856 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 43,000 | +7.5% |
| 1876 | 46,000 | +7.0% |
| 1877 | 46,000 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 46,000 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 46,000 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 46,000 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 46,000 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 46,000 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 45,000 | -2.2% |
| 1884 | 47,000 | +4.4% |
| 1885 | 46,000 | -2.1% |
| 1886 | 45,000 | -2.2% |
| 1887 | 45,000 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 48,000 | +6.7% |
| 1889 | 48,000 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 45,000 | -6.2% |
| 1891 | 49,000 | +8.9% |
| 1892 | 51,000 | +4.1% |
| 1893 | 47,000 | -7.8% |
| 1894 | 47,000 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 47,000 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 48,000 | +2.1% |
| 1897 | 49,000 | +2.1% |
| 1898 | 47,000 | -4.1% |
| 1899 | 49,000 | +4.3% |
| 1900 | 51,000 | +4.1% |
| 1901 | 48,000 | -5.9% |
| 1902 | 49,000 | +2.1% |
| 1903 | 46,000 | -6.1% |
| 1904 | 44,000 | -4.3% |
| 1905 | 44,000 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 44,000 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 44,000 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 46,000 | +4.5% |
| 1909 | 46,000 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 48,000 | +4.3% |
| 1911 | 47,000 | -2.1% |
| 1912 | 47,000 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 48,000 | +2.1% |
| 1914 | 115,000 | +139.6% |
| 1915 | 156,000 | +35.7% |
| 1916 | 189,000 | +21.2% |
| 1917 | 194,000 | +2.6% |
| 1918 | 209,000 | +7.7% |
| 1919 | 212,000 | +1.4% |
| 1920 | 156,000 | -26.4% |
| 1921 | 100,000 | -35.9% |
| 1922 | 117,000 | +17.0% |
| 1923 | 133,000 | +13.7% |
| 1924 | 82,000 | -38.3% |
| 1925 | 82,000 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 83,000 | +1.2% |
| 1927 | 66,000 | -20.5% |
| 1928 | 65,000 | -1.5% |
| 1929 | 67,000 | +3.1% |
| 1930 | 69,000 | +3.0% |
| 1931 | 66,000 | -4.3% |
| 1932 | 67,000 | +1.5% |
| 1933 | 66,000 | -1.5% |
| 1934 | 68,000 | +3.0% |
| 1935 | 68,000 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 67,000 | -1.5% |
| 1937 | 72,000 | +7.5% |
| 1938 | 90,000 | +25.0% |
| 1939 | 85,000 | -5.6% |
| 1940 | 82,000 | -3.5% |
| 1945 | 80,000 | -2.4% |
| 1946 | 79,000 | -1.2% |
| 1947 | 75,000 | -5.1% |
| 1948 | 71,000 | -5.3% |
| 1949 | 70,000 | -1.4% |
| 1950 | 74,000 | +5.7% |
| 1951 | 77,000 | +4.1% |
| 1952 | 81,000 | +5.2% |
| 1953 | 86,000 | +6.2% |
| 1954 | 91,000 | +5.8% |
| 1955 | 94,000 | +3.3% |
| 1956 | 98,000 | +4.3% |
| 1957 | 101,000 | +3.1% |
| 1958 | 106,000 | +5.0% |
| 1959 | 108,000 | +1.9% |
| 1960 | 110,000 | +1.9% |
| 1961 | 110,000 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 110,000 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 115,000 | +4.5% |
| 1964 | 115,000 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 115,000 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 115,000 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 115,000 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 115,000 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 115,000 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 110,000 | -4.3% |
| 1971 | 110,000 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 105,000 | -4.5% |
| 1973 | 107,000 | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 105,000 | -1.9% |
| 1975 | 103,000 | -1.9% |
| 1976 | 103,000 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 107,000 | +3.9% |
| 1978 | 109,000 | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 107,000 | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 108,000 | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 110,000 | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 109,000 | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 109,000 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 107,000 | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 107,000 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 107,000 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 109,000 | +1.9% |
| 1988 | 110,000 | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 110,000 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 106,000 | -3.6% |
| 1991 | 101,000 | -4.7% |
| 1992 | 79,000 | -21.8% |
| 1993 | 70,000 | -11.4% |
| 1994 | 53,000 | -24.3% |
| 1995 | 47,000 | -11.3% |
| 1996 | 45,000 | -4.3% |
| 1997 | 46,000 | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 43,000 | -6.5% |
| 1999 | 42,000 | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 39,000 | -7.1% |
| 2001 | 39,000 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 39,000 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 41,000 | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 39,000 | -4.9% |
| 2005 | 37,000 | -5.1% |
| 2006 | 37,000 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 40,000 | +8.1% |
| 2008 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 39,000 | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 38,000 | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 38,000 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 34,000 | -10.5% |
| 2013 | 33,000 | -2.9% |
| 2014 | 31,000 | -6.1% |
| 2015 | 31,000 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 31,000 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 30,000 | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 29,000 | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 27,000 | -6.9% |
| 2020 | 26,000 | -3.7% |
| 2021 | 24,000 | -7.7% |
| 2022 | 23,000 | -4.2% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 23,000 is above the median for high income countries, which is 18,500, 1.2× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 23,000 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23,000, 1.0× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel in Belgium 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | +139.6% | 48,000 | 115,000 |
| 1837 | +53.3% | 30,000 | 46,000 |
| 1924 | -38.3% | 133,000 | 82,000 |
| 1921 | -35.9% | 156,000 | 100,000 |
| 1915 | +35.7% | 115,000 | 156,000 |
| 1920 | -26.4% | 212,000 | 156,000 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 43,400 | 30,000 | 62,000 | 10 |
| 1840s | 34,900 | 32,000 | 45,000 | 10 |
| 1850s | 38,500 | 35,000 | 40,000 | 10 |
| 1860s | 40,000 | 40,000 | 40,000 | 10 |
| 1870s | 42,700 | 40,000 | 46,000 | 10 |
| 1880s | 46,200 | 45,000 | 48,000 | 10 |
| 1890s | 47,900 | 45,000 | 51,000 | 10 |
| 1900s | 46,200 | 44,000 | 51,000 | 10 |
| 1910s | 126,500 | 47,000 | 212,000 | 10 |
| 1920s | 95,100 | 65,000 | 156,000 | 10 |
| 1930s | 71,800 | 66,000 | 90,000 | 10 |
| 1940s | 76,167 | 70,000 | 82,000 | 6 |
| 1950s | 91,600 | 74,000 | 108,000 | 10 |
| 1960s | 113,500 | 110,000 | 115,000 | 10 |
| 1970s | 106,600 | 103,000 | 110,000 | 10 |
| 1980s | 108,600 | 107,000 | 110,000 | 10 |
| 1990s | 63,200 | 42,000 | 106,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 39,000 | 37,000 | 41,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 32,200 | 27,000 | 38,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 24,333 | 23,000 | 26,000 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More reference data data for Belgium
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9298 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1382 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.12 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.61 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7526 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Belgium?
- Military personnel in Belgium was 23,000 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 212,000 in 1919.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 23,000 in 2022.
- How does Belgium rank for military personnel?
- Belgium ranks 92nd out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 189 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).