Military personnel in Philippines
Philippines: Military personnel was 145,000 people in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
145,000 people
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
34th
of 194 countries
All-time high
157,000 people
in 1982
All-time low
0 people
in 1946
Years of data
77
1946–2022
Military personnel in Philippines, 1946–2022
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 Philippines is 145,000 people, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of up 16.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Philippines peaked at 157,000 people in 1982 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 1946.
That places Philippines 34th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 77 years of available data.
Military personnel in Philippines, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 0 people | — |
| 1947 | 27,000 people | — |
| 1948 | 28,000 people | +3.7% |
| 1949 | 28,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 29,000 people | +3.6% |
| 1951 | 29,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 30,000 people | +3.4% |
| 1953 | 30,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 34,000 people | +13.3% |
| 1955 | 38,000 people | +11.8% |
| 1956 | 42,000 people | +10.5% |
| 1957 | 58,000 people | +38.1% |
| 1958 | 58,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 58,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 58,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 62,000 people | +6.9% |
| 1962 | 60,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1963 | 45,000 people | -25.0% |
| 1964 | 47,000 people | +4.4% |
| 1965 | 46,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1966 | 45,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1967 | 45,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 51,000 people | +13.3% |
| 1969 | 55,000 people | +7.8% |
| 1970 | 59,000 people | +7.3% |
| 1971 | 58,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1972 | 62,000 people | +6.9% |
| 1973 | 63,000 people | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 90,000 people | +42.9% |
| 1975 | 120,000 people | +33.3% |
| 1976 | 140,000 people | +16.7% |
| 1977 | 155,000 people | +10.7% |
| 1978 | 156,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 156,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 155,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 156,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 157,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 113,000 people | -28.0% |
| 1984 | 105,000 people | -7.1% |
| 1985 | 115,000 people | +9.5% |
| 1986 | 105,000 people | -8.7% |
| 1987 | 105,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 148,000 people | +41.0% |
| 1989 | 112,000 people | -24.3% |
| 1990 | 109,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 107,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 107,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 107,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 104,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 104,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 103,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 105,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 106,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 107,000 people | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 106,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 107,000 people | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 106,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 106,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 106,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 106,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 106,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 106,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 106,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 106,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 120,000 people | +13.2% |
| 2011 | 125,000 people | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 125,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 125,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 125,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 125,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 125,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 125,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 125,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 142,000 people | +13.6% |
| 2020 | 142,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 145,000 people | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 145,000 people | +0.0% |
Philippines compared with similar countries
- Philippines's 145,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23,000 people, 6.3× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Philippines's 145,000 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9,500 people, 15.3× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel in Philippines 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +42.9% | 63,000 people | 90,000 people |
| 1988 | +41.0% | 105,000 people | 148,000 people |
| 1957 | +38.1% | 42,000 people | 58,000 people |
| 1975 | +33.3% | 90,000 people | 120,000 people |
| 1983 | -28.0% | 157,000 people | 113,000 people |
| 1963 | -25.0% | 60,000 people | 45,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 20,750 people | 0 people | 28,000 people | 4 |
| 1950s | 40,600 people | 29,000 people | 58,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 51,400 people | 45,000 people | 62,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 105,900 people | 58,000 people | 156,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 127,100 people | 105,000 people | 157,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 105,900 people | 103,000 people | 109,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 106,100 people | 106,000 people | 107,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 126,200 people | 120,000 people | 142,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 144,000 people | 142,000 people | 145,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Philippines
- 31 Bangladesh 163,000 people compare
- 32 Italy 161,000 people compare
- 33 United Kingdom 150,000 people compare
- 35 Nigeria 143,000 people compare
- 36 Algeria 139,000 people compare
- 37 Democratic Republic of Congo 134,000 people compare
More reference data data for Philippines
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.43 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 12.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 7.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 10.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 67.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 7.76 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Philippines?
- Military personnel in Philippines was 145,000 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 Philippines?
- The highest recorded value was 157,000 people in 1982.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Philippines?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 1946.
- How does Philippines rank for military personnel?
- Philippines ranks 34th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Philippines?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Philippines 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 — 77 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.