Military personnel in El Salvador
El Salvador: Military personnel was 25,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Military personnel in El Salvador, 1875–2022
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2022, military personnel in El Salvador stood at 25,000 people.
The figure is up 56.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in El Salvador peaked at 60,000 people in 1991 and was at its lowest, 1,000 people, in 1875.
That places El Salvador 88th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 1,000 people | 1,000 people | 1,000 people | 5 |
| 1880s | 1,400 people | 1,000 people | 2,000 people | 10 |
| 1890s | 3,500 people | 2,000 people | 4,000 people | 10 |
| 1900s | 3,200 people | 3,000 people | 4,000 people | 10 |
| 1910s | 3,000 people | 3,000 people | 3,000 people | 10 |
| 1920s | 3,400 people | 3,000 people | 4,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 2,800 people | 2,000 people | 3,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 3,000 people | 3,000 people | 3,000 people | 4 |
| 1950s | 5,000 people | 3,000 people | 7,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 4,600 people | 3,000 people | 7,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 8,300 people | 4,000 people | 14,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 37,900 people | 16,000 people | 49,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 33,200 people | 15,000 people | 60,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 16,300 people | 16,000 people | 17,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 19,300 people | 15,000 people | 25,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 25,000 people | 25,000 people | 25,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More reference data data for El Salvador
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.9422 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.37 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.2746 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.03 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.22 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 129.31 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in El Salvador?
- Military personnel in El Salvador was 25,000 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 El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 60,000 people in 1991.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,000 people in 1875.
- How does El Salvador rank for military personnel?
- El Salvador ranks 88th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador 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.
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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.