Military personnel in Cuba
Cuba: Military personnel was 49,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
49,000 people
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
62nd
of 194 countries
All-time high
297,000 people
in 1984
All-time low
3,000 people
in 1902
Years of data
119
1902–2022
Military personnel in Cuba, 1902–2022
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 Cuba is 49,000 people, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Cuba peaked at 297,000 people in 1984 and was at its lowest, 3,000 people, in 1902.
Cuba ranks 62nd 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 Cuba, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1902 | 3,000 people | — |
| 1903 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 4,000 people | +33.3% |
| 1905 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 5,000 people | +25.0% |
| 1910 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 11,000 people | +120.0% |
| 1914 | 13,000 people | +18.2% |
| 1915 | 15,000 people | +15.4% |
| 1916 | 18,000 people | +20.0% |
| 1917 | 19,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1918 | 19,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 18,000 people | -5.3% |
| 1920 | 18,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 18,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 12,000 people | -33.3% |
| 1923 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 13,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1926 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 16,000 people | +23.1% |
| 1936 | 16,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 19,000 people | +18.8% |
| 1938 | 19,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 19,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 19,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 19,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 20,000 people | +5.3% |
| 1943 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 21,000 people | +5.0% |
| 1946 | 18,000 people | -14.3% |
| 1947 | 18,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 18,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 19,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1950 | 20,000 people | +5.3% |
| 1951 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 21,000 people | +5.0% |
| 1954 | 21,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 13,000 people | -38.1% |
| 1956 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 19,000 people | +46.2% |
| 1958 | 19,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 19,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 46,000 people | +142.1% |
| 1961 | 270,000 people | +487.0% |
| 1962 | 270,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 80,000 people | -70.4% |
| 1964 | 110,000 people | +37.5% |
| 1965 | 110,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 110,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 110,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 110,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 140,000 people | +27.3% |
| 1970 | 140,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 140,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 140,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 140,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 140,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 120,000 people | -14.3% |
| 1976 | 125,000 people | +4.2% |
| 1977 | 200,000 people | +60.0% |
| 1978 | 210,000 people | +5.0% |
| 1979 | 210,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 220,000 people | +4.8% |
| 1981 | 225,000 people | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 230,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 250,000 people | +8.7% |
| 1984 | 297,000 people | +18.8% |
| 1985 | 297,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 297,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 297,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 297,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 297,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 297,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 297,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 175,000 people | -41.1% |
| 1993 | 175,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 140,000 people | -20.0% |
| 1995 | 70,000 people | -50.0% |
| 1996 | 70,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 55,000 people | -21.4% |
| 1998 | 55,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 50,000 people | -9.1% |
| 2000 | 58,000 people | +16.0% |
| 2001 | 46,000 people | -20.7% |
| 2002 | 46,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 46,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 48,000 people | +4.3% |
| 2005 | 49,000 people | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 49,000 people | +0.0% |
Cuba compared with similar countries
- Cuba's 49,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23,000 people, 2.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Cuba's 49,000 people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 12,000 people, 4.1× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 3,833 people | 3,000 people | 5,000 people | 6 |
| 1910s | 12,800 people | 5,000 people | 19,000 people | 10 |
| 1920s | 13,700 people | 12,000 people | 18,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 15,400 people | 13,000 people | 19,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 19,200 people | 18,000 people | 21,000 people | 10 |
| 1950s | 18,500 people | 13,000 people | 21,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 135,600 people | 46,000 people | 270,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 156,500 people | 120,000 people | 210,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 270,700 people | 220,000 people | 297,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 138,400 people | 50,000 people | 297,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 48,900 people | 46,000 people | 58,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 49,000 people | 49,000 people | 49,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 49,000 people | 49,000 people | 49,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Cuba
- 59 Dominican Republic 56,000 people compare
- 60 South Sudan 53,000 people compare
- 61 Singapore 51,000 people compare
- 63 Belarus 48,000 people compare
- 63 Uzbekistan 48,000 people compare
- 65 Uganda 45,000 people compare
More reference data data for Cuba
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.529 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0696 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.77 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9214 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3791 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Cuba?
- Military personnel in Cuba was 49,000 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 Cuba?
- The highest recorded value was 297,000 people in 1984.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Cuba?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,000 people in 1902.
- How does Cuba rank for military personnel?
- Cuba ranks 62nd out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Cuba?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cuba 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 — 119 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.