Military personnel in Chile
Chile: Military personnel was 69,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Military personnel in Chile, 1839–2022
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 Chile is 69,000 people, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 16.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Chile peaked at 127,000 people in 1986 and was at its lowest, 2,000 people, in 1842.
Chile ranks 54th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 3,000 people | 3,000 people | 3,000 people | 1 |
| 1840s | 2,400 people | 2,000 people | 3,000 people | 10 |
| 1850s | 3,400 people | 3,000 people | 4,000 people | 10 |
| 1860s | 4,100 people | 4,000 people | 5,000 people | 10 |
| 1870s | 5,100 people | 4,000 people | 6,000 people | 10 |
| 1880s | 10,700 people | 5,000 people | 16,000 people | 10 |
| 1890s | 12,500 people | 8,000 people | 22,000 people | 10 |
| 1900s | 18,800 people | 12,000 people | 24,000 people | 10 |
| 1910s | 28,100 people | 24,000 people | 34,000 people | 10 |
| 1920s | 27,700 people | 23,000 people | 31,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 22,700 people | 20,000 people | 26,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 35,750 people | 34,000 people | 38,000 people | 4 |
| 1950s | 42,900 people | 39,000 people | 55,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 65,700 people | 41,000 people | 75,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 93,400 people | 70,000 people | 111,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 116,600 people | 95,000 people | 127,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 96,500 people | 88,000 people | 102,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 76,800 people | 61,000 people | 88,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 64,400 people | 59,000 people | 77,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 71,667 people | 69,000 people | 77,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Chile
More reference data data for Chile
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.1995 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.21 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.32 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.5729 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.2404 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 185.48 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 military personnel in Chile?
- Military personnel in Chile was 69,000 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 Chile?
- The highest recorded value was 127,000 people in 1986.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Chile?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,000 people in 1842.
- How does Chile rank for military personnel?
- Chile ranks 54th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Chile?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Chile 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 — 178 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.