Military personnel in Iraq
Iraq: Military personnel was 193,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
193,000 people
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
26th
of 194 countries
All-time high
1.39 million people
in 1990
All-time low
10,000 people
in 1933
Years of data
85
1932–2022
Military personnel in Iraq, 1932–2022
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 Iraq stood at 193,000 people.
That represents a change of down 28.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Iraq peaked at 1.39 million people in 1990 and was at its lowest, 10,000 people, 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 | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1932 | 12,000 people | — |
| 1933 | 10,000 people | -16.7% |
| 1934 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 14,000 people | +40.0% |
| 1936 | 19,000 people | +35.7% |
| 1937 | 23,000 people | +21.1% |
| 1938 | 28,000 people | +21.7% |
| 1939 | 19,000 people | -32.1% |
| 1946 | 51,000 people | +168.4% |
| 1947 | 31,000 people | -39.2% |
| 1948 | 31,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 31,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 35,000 people | +12.9% |
| 1951 | 38,000 people | +8.6% |
| 1952 | 42,000 people | +10.5% |
| 1953 | 46,000 people | +9.5% |
| 1954 | 49,000 people | +6.5% |
| 1955 | 53,000 people | +8.2% |
| 1956 | 57,000 people | +7.5% |
| 1957 | 60,000 people | +5.3% |
| 1958 | 64,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1959 | 57,000 people | -10.9% |
| 1960 | 74,000 people | +29.8% |
| 1961 | 90,000 people | +21.6% |
| 1962 | 91,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1963 | 80,000 people | -12.1% |
| 1964 | 80,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 90,000 people | +12.5% |
| 1966 | 90,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 90,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 90,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 90,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 95,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1971 | 105,000 people | +10.5% |
| 1972 | 105,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 105,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 110,000 people | +4.8% |
| 1975 | 155,000 people | +40.9% |
| 1976 | 190,000 people | +22.6% |
| 1977 | 140,000 people | -26.3% |
| 1978 | 362,000 people | +158.6% |
| 1979 | 444,000 people | +22.7% |
| 1980 | 430,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1981 | 392,000 people | -8.8% |
| 1982 | 404,000 people | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 434,000 people | +7.4% |
| 1984 | 788,000 people | +81.6% |
| 1985 | 788,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 800,000 people | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 900,000 people | +12.5% |
| 1988 | 1.00 million people | +11.1% |
| 1989 | 1.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.39 million people | +39.0% |
| 1991 | 475,000 people | -65.8% |
| 1992 | 407,000 people | -14.3% |
| 1993 | 407,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 425,000 people | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 450,000 people | +5.9% |
| 1996 | 450,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 400,000 people | -11.1% |
| 1998 | 420,000 people | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 420,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 429,000 people | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 424,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 389,000 people | -8.3% |
| 2003 | 389,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 284,000 people | -27.0% |
| 2005 | 180,000 people | -36.6% |
| 2006 | 227,000 people | +26.1% |
| 2007 | 227,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 495,000 people | +118.1% |
| 2009 | 577,000 people | +16.6% |
| 2010 | 578,000 people | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 246,000 people | -57.4% |
| 2012 | 271,000 people | +10.2% |
| 2013 | 271,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 271,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 178,000 people | -34.3% |
| 2016 | 64,000 people | -64.0% |
| 2017 | 64,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 64,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 64,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 193,000 people | +201.6% |
| 2021 | 193,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 193,000 people | +0.0% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 193,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23,000 people, 8.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 193,000 people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 91,500 people, 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 people | 193,000 people |
| 1946 | +168.4% | 19,000 people | 51,000 people |
| 1978 | +158.6% | 140,000 people | 362,000 people |
| 2008 | +118.1% | 227,000 people | 495,000 people |
| 1984 | +81.6% | 434,000 people | 788,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 16,875 people | 10,000 people | 28,000 people | 8 |
| 1940s | 36,000 people | 31,000 people | 51,000 people | 4 |
| 1950s | 50,100 people | 35,000 people | 64,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 86,500 people | 74,000 people | 91,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 181,100 people | 95,000 people | 444,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 693,600 people | 392,000 people | 1.00 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 524,400 people | 400,000 people | 1.39 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 362,100 people | 180,000 people | 577,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 207,100 people | 64,000 people | 578,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 193,000 people | 193,000 people | 193,000 people | 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 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 1.39 million people in 1990.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 10,000 people 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 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 — 85 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.