Military personnel in Norway
Norway: Military personnel was 25,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
25,000 people
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
88th
of 194 countries
All-time high
51,000 people
in 1990
All-time low
4,000 people
in 1930
Years of data
114
1905–2022
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.
Military personnel in Norway, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1905 | 32,000 people | — |
| 1906 | 7,000 people | -78.1% |
| 1907 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 5,000 people | -28.6% |
| 1911 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 7,000 people | +40.0% |
| 1918 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 6,000 people | -14.3% |
| 1926 | 7,000 people | +16.7% |
| 1927 | 6,000 people | -14.3% |
| 1928 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 4,000 people | -33.3% |
| 1931 | 5,000 people | +25.0% |
| 1932 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 4,000 people | -20.0% |
| 1935 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 33,000 people | +725.0% |
| 1947 | 30,000 people | -9.1% |
| 1948 | 30,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 30,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 30,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 30,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 31,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1953 | 31,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 32,000 people | +3.2% |
| 1955 | 33,000 people | +3.1% |
| 1956 | 34,000 people | +3.0% |
| 1957 | 34,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 35,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1959 | 36,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1960 | 37,000 people | +2.8% |
| 1961 | 32,000 people | -13.5% |
| 1962 | 34,000 people | +6.2% |
| 1963 | 35,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1964 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 39,000 people | +11.4% |
| 1974 | 40,000 people | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 38,000 people | -5.0% |
| 1976 | 39,000 people | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 39,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 40,000 people | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 40,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 40,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 39,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1982 | 40,000 people | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 41,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 39,000 people | -4.9% |
| 1985 | 36,000 people | -7.7% |
| 1986 | 38,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1987 | 38,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 40,000 people | +5.3% |
| 1989 | 43,000 people | +7.5% |
| 1990 | 51,000 people | +18.6% |
| 1991 | 41,000 people | -19.6% |
| 1992 | 36,000 people | -12.2% |
| 1993 | 32,000 people | -11.1% |
| 1994 | 33,000 people | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 38,000 people | +15.2% |
| 1996 | 38,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 33,000 people | -13.2% |
| 1998 | 33,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 33,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 27,000 people | -18.2% |
| 2001 | 27,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 27,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 27,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 26,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 26,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 26,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 23,000 people | -11.5% |
| 2008 | 16,000 people | -30.4% |
| 2009 | 19,000 people | +18.8% |
| 2010 | 24,000 people | +26.3% |
| 2011 | 26,000 people | +8.3% |
| 2012 | 24,000 people | -7.7% |
| 2013 | 24,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 26,000 people | +8.3% |
| 2015 | 26,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 26,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 25,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 24,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 23,000 people | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 23,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 25,000 people | +8.7% |
| 2022 | 25,000 people | +0.0% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 25,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 18,500 people, 1.4× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Norway's 25,000 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23,000 people, 1.1× the median. (52 countries reporting)
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
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3703 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.3621 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0618 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.7734 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3366 (2050)
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.