Military personnel in Nepal
Nepal: Military personnel was 97,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
97,000 people
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
48th
of 194 countries
All-time high
97,000 people
in 2017
All-time low
20,000 people
in 1924
Years of data
103
1920–2022
Military personnel in Nepal, 1920–2022
Source: Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military personnel in Nepal is 97,000 people, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 103 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Nepal peaked at 97,000 people in 2017 and was at its lowest, 20,000 people, in 1924.
Nepal ranks 48th 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 Nepal, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 30,000 people | — |
| 1921 | 30,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 30,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 25,000 people | -16.7% |
| 1924 | 20,000 people | -20.0% |
| 1925 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 22,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1966 | 22,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 22,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 22,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 29,000 people | +31.8% |
| 1970 | 29,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 29,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 32,000 people | +10.3% |
| 1973 | 32,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 32,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 32,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 32,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 37,000 people | +15.6% |
| 1978 | 32,000 people | -13.5% |
| 1979 | 25,000 people | -21.9% |
| 1980 | 21,000 people | -16.0% |
| 1981 | 24,000 people | +14.3% |
| 1982 | 24,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 25,000 people | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 25,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 25,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 25,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 30,000 people | +20.0% |
| 1988 | 35,000 people | +16.7% |
| 1989 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 40,000 people | +14.3% |
| 1996 | 35,000 people | -12.5% |
| 1997 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 50,000 people | +42.9% |
| 2001 | 46,000 people | -8.0% |
| 2002 | 51,000 people | +10.9% |
| 2003 | 63,000 people | +23.5% |
| 2004 | 66,000 people | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 69,000 people | +4.5% |
| 2006 | 69,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 69,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 69,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 69,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 96,000 people | +39.1% |
| 2011 | 96,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 96,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 96,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 96,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 96,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 96,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 97,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 97,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 97,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 97,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 97,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 97,000 people | +0.0% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 97,000 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 15,500 people, 6.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 97,000 people is below the median for South Asia, which is 130,000 people, 75% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 23,500 people | 20,000 people | 30,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 20,000 people | 20,000 people | 20,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 20,000 people | 20,000 people | 20,000 people | 10 |
| 1950s | 20,000 people | 20,000 people | 20,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 21,700 people | 20,000 people | 29,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 31,200 people | 25,000 people | 37,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 26,900 people | 21,000 people | 35,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 35,500 people | 35,000 people | 40,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 62,100 people | 46,000 people | 69,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 96,300 people | 96,000 people | 97,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 97,000 people | 97,000 people | 97,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
- 45 Sudan 104,000 people compare
- 46 Jordan 101,000 people compare
- 47 Afghanistan 100,000 people compare
- 49 United Arab Emirates 83,000 people compare
- 50 Peru 81,000 people compare
- 51 South Africa 74,000 people compare
More reference data data for Nepal
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7753 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7853 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.6 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.7974 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.28 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Nepal?
- Military personnel in Nepal was 97,000 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 Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 97,000 people in 2017.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 20,000 people in 1924.
- How does Nepal rank for military personnel?
- Nepal ranks 48th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nepal 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 — 103 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.