Military personnel in Iraq
Iraq: Military personnel was 193,000 in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
193,000
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
26th
of 194 countries
All-time high
1.39 million
in 1990
All-time low
10,000
in 1933
Years of data
85
1932–2022
Military personnel in Iraq, 1932–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2022, military personnel in Iraq stood at 193,000.
That represents a change of down 28.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Iraq peaked at 1.39 million in 1990 and was at its lowest, 10,000, in 1933.
Iraq ranks 26th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel in Iraq, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1932 | 12,000 | — |
| 1933 | 10,000 | -16.7% |
| 1934 | 10,000 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 14,000 | +40.0% |
| 1936 | 19,000 | +35.7% |
| 1937 | 23,000 | +21.1% |
| 1938 | 28,000 | +21.7% |
| 1939 | 19,000 | -32.1% |
| 1946 | 51,000 | +168.4% |
| 1947 | 31,000 | -39.2% |
| 1948 | 31,000 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 31,000 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 35,000 | +12.9% |
| 1951 | 38,000 | +8.6% |
| 1952 | 42,000 | +10.5% |
| 1953 | 46,000 | +9.5% |
| 1954 | 49,000 | +6.5% |
| 1955 | 53,000 | +8.2% |
| 1956 | 57,000 | +7.5% |
| 1957 | 60,000 | +5.3% |
| 1958 | 64,000 | +6.7% |
| 1959 | 57,000 | -10.9% |
| 1960 | 74,000 | +29.8% |
| 1961 | 90,000 | +21.6% |
| 1962 | 91,000 | +1.1% |
| 1963 | 80,000 | -12.1% |
| 1964 | 80,000 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 90,000 | +12.5% |
| 1966 | 90,000 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 90,000 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 90,000 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 90,000 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 95,000 | +5.6% |
| 1971 | 105,000 | +10.5% |
| 1972 | 105,000 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 105,000 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 110,000 | +4.8% |
| 1975 | 155,000 | +40.9% |
| 1976 | 190,000 | +22.6% |
| 1977 | 140,000 | -26.3% |
| 1978 | 362,000 | +158.6% |
| 1979 | 444,000 | +22.7% |
| 1980 | 430,000 | -3.2% |
| 1981 | 392,000 | -8.8% |
| 1982 | 404,000 | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 434,000 | +7.4% |
| 1984 | 788,000 | +81.6% |
| 1985 | 788,000 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 800,000 | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 900,000 | +12.5% |
| 1988 | 1.00 million | +11.1% |
| 1989 | 1.00 million | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.39 million | +39.0% |
| 1991 | 475,000 | -65.8% |
| 1992 | 407,000 | -14.3% |
| 1993 | 407,000 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 425,000 | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 450,000 | +5.9% |
| 1996 | 450,000 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 400,000 | -11.1% |
| 1998 | 420,000 | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 420,000 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 429,000 | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 424,000 | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 389,000 | -8.3% |
| 2003 | 389,000 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 284,000 | -27.0% |
| 2005 | 180,000 | -36.6% |
| 2006 | 227,000 | +26.1% |
| 2007 | 227,000 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 495,000 | +118.1% |
| 2009 | 577,000 | +16.6% |
| 2010 | 578,000 | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 246,000 | -57.4% |
| 2012 | 271,000 | +10.2% |
| 2013 | 271,000 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 271,000 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 178,000 | -34.3% |
| 2016 | 64,000 | -64.0% |
| 2017 | 64,000 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 64,000 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 64,000 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 193,000 | +201.6% |
| 2021 | 193,000 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 193,000 | +0.0% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 193,000 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23,000, 8.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 193,000 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 91,500, 2.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel in Iraq 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +201.6% | 64,000 | 193,000 |
| 1946 | +168.4% | 19,000 | 51,000 |
| 1978 | +158.6% | 140,000 | 362,000 |
| 2008 | +118.1% | 227,000 | 495,000 |
| 1984 | +81.6% | 434,000 | 788,000 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 16,875 | 10,000 | 28,000 | 8 |
| 1940s | 36,000 | 31,000 | 51,000 | 4 |
| 1950s | 50,100 | 35,000 | 64,000 | 10 |
| 1960s | 86,500 | 74,000 | 91,000 | 10 |
| 1970s | 181,100 | 95,000 | 444,000 | 10 |
| 1980s | 693,600 | 392,000 | 1.00 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 524,400 | 400,000 | 1.39 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 362,100 | 180,000 | 577,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 207,100 | 64,000 | 578,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 193,000 | 193,000 | 193,000 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More reference data data for Iraq
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2116 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3911 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7096 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.235 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 13.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 30.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Iraq?
- Military personnel in Iraq was 193,000 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 1.39 million in 1990.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 10,000 in 1933.
- How does Iraq rank for military personnel?
- Iraq ranks 26th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 85 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).