Military personnel in Iran
Iran: Military personnel was 610,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Military personnel in Iran, 1855–2022
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Iran recorded 610,000 people for military personnel in 2022.
The figure is up 16.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Iran peaked at 654,000 people in 1988 and was at its lowest, 5,000 people, in 1917.
Iran ranks 8th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 18,000 people | 18,000 people | 18,000 people | 5 |
| 1860s | 19,400 people | 19,000 people | 20,000 people | 10 |
| 1870s | 24,000 people | 20,000 people | 30,000 people | 10 |
| 1880s | 27,500 people | 25,000 people | 30,000 people | 10 |
| 1890s | 25,000 people | 25,000 people | 25,000 people | 10 |
| 1900s | 27,500 people | 25,000 people | 30,000 people | 10 |
| 1910s | 39,100 people | 5,000 people | 59,000 people | 10 |
| 1920s | 36,800 people | 28,000 people | 40,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 71,700 people | 32,000 people | 97,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 96,300 people | 65,000 people | 124,000 people | 10 |
| 1950s | 133,100 people | 114,000 people | 157,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 205,300 people | 185,000 people | 225,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 328,000 people | 245,000 people | 420,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 367,800 people | 240,000 people | 654,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 505,400 people | 440,000 people | 575,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 514,400 people | 420,000 people | 545,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 523,000 people | 523,000 people | 523,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 610,000 people | 610,000 people | 610,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More reference data data for Iran
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.0713 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.08 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.2419 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 0 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.27 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.14 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 4,030 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 Iran?
- Military personnel in Iran was 610,000 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 654,000 people in 1988.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 5,000 people in 1917.
- How does Iran rank for military personnel?
- Iran ranks 8th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran 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 — 168 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.