Military personnel in Ireland
Ireland: Military personnel was 8,000 people in 2022. ▬ Flat
Latest (2022)
8,000 people
Change on year
down 11.1%
World rank
132nd
of 194 countries
All-time high
22,000 people
in 1922
All-time low
6,000 people
in 1930
Years of data
101
1922–2022
Military personnel in Ireland, 1922–2022
Source: Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 8,000 people for military personnel in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.1% on the previous year and down 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Ireland peaked at 22,000 people in 1922 and was at its lowest, 6,000 people, in 1930.
Ireland ranks 132nd of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Military personnel in Ireland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1922 | 22,000 people | — |
| 1923 | 20,000 people | -9.1% |
| 1924 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 18,000 people | -10.0% |
| 1926 | 12,000 people | -33.3% |
| 1927 | 13,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1928 | 10,000 people | -23.1% |
| 1929 | 7,000 people | -30.0% |
| 1930 | 6,000 people | -14.3% |
| 1931 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 8,000 people | +33.3% |
| 1940 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 9,000 people | +12.5% |
| 1943 | 10,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1944 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 11,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1946 | 11,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 11,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 11,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 13,000 people | +18.2% |
| 1950 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 6,000 people | -53.8% |
| 1962 | 7,000 people | +16.7% |
| 1963 | 8,000 people | +14.3% |
| 1964 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 9,000 people | +12.5% |
| 1972 | 9,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 10,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1974 | 11,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1975 | 11,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 14,000 people | +27.3% |
| 1977 | 13,000 people | -7.1% |
| 1978 | 14,000 people | +7.7% |
| 1979 | 14,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 19,000 people | +35.7% |
| 1981 | 19,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 21,000 people | +10.5% |
| 1983 | 18,000 people | -14.3% |
| 1984 | 13,000 people | -27.8% |
| 1985 | 14,000 people | +7.7% |
| 1986 | 14,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 14,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 13,000 people | -7.1% |
| 1989 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 13,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 17,000 people | +30.8% |
| 1995 | 17,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 17,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 17,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 17,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 14,000 people | -17.6% |
| 2000 | 12,000 people | -14.3% |
| 2001 | 10,000 people | -16.7% |
| 2002 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 9,000 people | -10.0% |
| 2014 | 9,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 9,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 9,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 9,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 9,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 9,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 9,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 9,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 8,000 people | -11.1% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 8,000 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 18,500 people, 43% of the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 8,000 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23,000 people, 35% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 15,250 people | 7,000 people | 22,000 people | 8 |
| 1930s | 6,200 people | 6,000 people | 8,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 10,200 people | 8,000 people | 13,000 people | 10 |
| 1950s | 13,000 people | 13,000 people | 13,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 8,200 people | 6,000 people | 13,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 11,300 people | 8,000 people | 14,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 15,800 people | 13,000 people | 21,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 15,100 people | 13,000 people | 17,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 10,200 people | 10,000 people | 12,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 9,300 people | 9,000 people | 10,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 8,667 people | 8,000 people | 9,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More reference data data for Ireland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0921 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.87 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 3.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.6 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 21.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.5015 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Ireland?
- Military personnel in Ireland was 8,000 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 22,000 people in 1922.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 6,000 people in 1930.
- How does Ireland rank for military personnel?
- Ireland ranks 132nd out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Ireland 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 — 101 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.