Military personnel in Norway
Norway: Military personnel was 25,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Military personnel in Norway, 1905–2022
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Norway recorded 25,000 people for military personnel in 2022.
The figure is up 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Norway peaked at 51,000 people in 1990 and was at its lowest, 4,000 people, in 1930.
Norway ranks 88th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 12,000 people | 7,000 people | 32,000 people | 5 |
| 1910s | 5,600 people | 5,000 people | 7,000 people | 10 |
| 1920s | 6,600 people | 6,000 people | 7,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 4,300 people | 4,000 people | 5,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 21,833 people | 4,000 people | 33,000 people | 6 |
| 1950s | 32,600 people | 30,000 people | 36,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 34,800 people | 32,000 people | 37,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 38,000 people | 35,000 people | 40,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 39,400 people | 36,000 people | 43,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 36,800 people | 32,000 people | 51,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 24,400 people | 16,000 people | 27,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 24,800 people | 23,000 people | 26,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 24,333 people | 23,000 people | 25,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Norway
More reference data data for Norway
- Spring temperature anomalies 4.27 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.74 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -2.84 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2.11 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 3.43 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 149.54 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Norway?
- Military personnel in Norway was 25,000 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 Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 51,000 people in 1990.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,000 people in 1930.
- How does Norway rank for military personnel?
- Norway ranks 88th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Norway 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 — 114 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.