Military personnel in China
China: Military personnel was 2.04 million people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
2.04 million people
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 194 countries
All-time high
4.78 million people
in 1945
All-time low
450,000 people
in 1912
Years of data
163
1860–2022
Military personnel in China, 1860–2022
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 China is 2.04 million people, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of down 10.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in China peaked at 4.78 million people in 1945 and was at its lowest, 450,000 people, in 1912.
That places China 1st out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel in China, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 1.00 million people | — |
| 1861 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1901 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 1.00 million people | +0.3% |
| 1912 | 450,000 people | -55.1% |
| 1913 | 450,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 460,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1915 | 500,000 people | +8.7% |
| 1916 | 850,000 people | +70.0% |
| 1917 | 900,000 people | +5.9% |
| 1918 | 1.30 million people | +44.4% |
| 1919 | 1.38 million people | +6.2% |
| 1920 | 1.44 million people | +4.5% |
| 1921 | 1.50 million people | +4.3% |
| 1922 | 1.57 million people | +4.1% |
| 1923 | 1.63 million people | +4.0% |
| 1924 | 1.70 million people | +4.4% |
| 1925 | 1.70 million people | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 1.70 million people | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 1.70 million people | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 1.70 million people | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 1.70 million people | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 1.70 million people | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 1.70 million people | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 1.70 million people | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 1.70 million people | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 1.70 million people | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 1.70 million people | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 1.70 million people | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 2.00 million people | +17.6% |
| 1938 | 900,000 people | -55.0% |
| 1939 | 1.49 million people | +65.3% |
| 1940 | 2.04 million people | +36.8% |
| 1941 | 2.58 million people | +26.9% |
| 1942 | 3.13 million people | +21.2% |
| 1943 | 3.68 million people | +17.5% |
| 1944 | 4.23 million people | +14.9% |
| 1945 | 4.78 million people | +12.9% |
| 1946 | 4.16 million people | -12.9% |
| 1947 | 4.01 million people | -3.4% |
| 1948 | 3.69 million people | -8.1% |
| 1949 | 2.57 million people | -30.4% |
| 1950 | 4.00 million people | +55.6% |
| 1951 | 3.00 million people | -25.0% |
| 1952 | 3.03 million people | +0.9% |
| 1953 | 3.05 million people | +0.9% |
| 1954 | 3.08 million people | +0.9% |
| 1955 | 3.00 million people | -2.5% |
| 1956 | 3.13 million people | +4.3% |
| 1957 | 3.16 million people | +0.8% |
| 1958 | 3.18 million people | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 3.21 million people | +0.8% |
| 1960 | 3.23 million people | +0.8% |
| 1961 | 2.20 million people | -32.0% |
| 1962 | 2.30 million people | +4.5% |
| 1963 | 2.50 million people | +8.7% |
| 1964 | 2.75 million people | +10.0% |
| 1965 | 2.40 million people | -12.7% |
| 1966 | 2.60 million people | +8.3% |
| 1967 | 2.71 million people | +4.2% |
| 1968 | 2.80 million people | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 2.83 million people | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 2.85 million people | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 2.97 million people | +4.2% |
| 1972 | 3.04 million people | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 3.25 million people | +6.9% |
| 1974 | 4.30 million people | +32.3% |
| 1975 | 4.30 million people | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 4.30 million people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 4.30 million people | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 4.50 million people | +4.7% |
| 1979 | 4.60 million people | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 4.65 million people | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 4.75 million people | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 4.35 million people | -8.4% |
| 1983 | 4.10 million people | -5.7% |
| 1984 | 4.10 million people | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 4.10 million people | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 4.03 million people | -1.7% |
| 1987 | 3.53 million people | -12.4% |
| 1988 | 3.78 million people | +7.1% |
| 1989 | 3.90 million people | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 3.50 million people | -10.3% |
| 1991 | 3.20 million people | -8.6% |
| 1992 | 3.16 million people | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 3.03 million people | -4.1% |
| 1994 | 2.93 million people | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 2.93 million people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 2.65 million people | -9.6% |
| 1997 | 2.60 million people | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 2.60 million people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2.40 million people | -7.7% |
| 2000 | 2.81 million people | +17.1% |
| 2001 | 2.31 million people | -17.8% |
| 2002 | 2.27 million people | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 2.25 million people | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 2.25 million people | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 2.25 million people | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 2.25 million people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 2.25 million people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 2.10 million people | -6.7% |
| 2009 | 2.19 million people | +3.8% |
| 2010 | 2.29 million people | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 2.29 million people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 2.29 million people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 2.29 million people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 2.33 million people | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 2.33 million people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2.33 million people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 2.18 million people | -6.4% |
| 2018 | 2.04 million people | -6.8% |
| 2019 | 2.04 million people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2.04 million people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2.04 million people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 2.04 million people | +0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 2.04 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23,000 people, 88.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 2.04 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9,500 people, 214.2× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | +70.0% | 500,000 people | 850,000 people |
| 1939 | +65.3% | 900,000 people | 1.49 million people |
| 1950 | +55.6% | 2.57 million people | 4.00 million people |
| 1912 | -55.1% | 1.00 million people | 450,000 people |
| 1938 | -55.0% | 2.00 million people | 900,000 people |
| 1918 | +44.4% | 900,000 people | 1.30 million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1860s | 1.00 million people | 1.00 million people | 1.00 million people | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.00 million people | 1.00 million people | 1.00 million people | 10 |
| 1880s | 1.00 million people | 1.00 million people | 1.00 million people | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.00 million people | 1.00 million people | 1.00 million people | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.00 million people | 1.00 million people | 1.00 million people | 10 |
| 1910s | 829,300 people | 450,000 people | 1.38 million people | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.63 million people | 1.44 million people | 1.70 million people | 10 |
| 1930s | 1.63 million people | 900,000 people | 2.00 million people | 10 |
| 1940s | 3.49 million people | 2.04 million people | 4.78 million people | 10 |
| 1950s | 3.18 million people | 3.00 million people | 4.00 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.63 million people | 2.20 million people | 3.23 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.84 million people | 2.85 million people | 4.60 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.13 million people | 3.53 million people | 4.75 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.90 million people | 2.40 million people | 3.50 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.29 million people | 2.10 million people | 2.81 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.24 million people | 2.04 million people | 2.33 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.04 million people | 2.04 million people | 2.04 million people | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
- 2 India 1.46 million people compare
- 3 United States 1.36 million people compare
- 4 North Korea 1.28 million people compare
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in China?
- Military personnel in China was 2.04 million 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 4.78 million people in 1945.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 450,000 people in 1912.
- How does China rank for military personnel?
- China ranks 1st out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 — 163 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.